1150  Lake 

Los  Angeles, 


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ANGELES 


LARKSPUR 


KEINETH 

A  twelve-year-old  girl  keeps  a  secret 
for  a  year,  and  many  wonderful  things 
that  happen  during  that  time  are  told. 

BY  JANE  D.  ABBOTT 
Illustrated  Net,  ,$1.35 

"  Mrs.  Abbott  has  lavished  on  '  Keineth' 
a  wealth  of  incident  which  whould  have  supplied 
some  authors  with  four  serial  volumes." 

— The  Nation,  November  SO. 

"'Keineth'  is  a  life  creation — within  its 
covers  the  actual  spirit  of  youth.  The  book  is 
of  special  interest  to  girls,  but  when  a  grown-up 
gets  hold  of  it  there  follows  a  one-session  under 
the  reading  lamp  with  '  finis'  at  the  end." 

— Buffalo  Times. 


LARKSPUR 


BY 

JANE  D.  ABBOTT 

AUTHOR  OF  "KEINETH" 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 
HARRIET  ROOSEVELT  RICHARDS 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  LONDON 

J.    B.   LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY 

1919 


COPYBIGHT,    1919,    BY   J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


FRETTED  BT  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

AT  THE  WASHINGTON  SQUARE  PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA,   D.  B.  A. 


TO  THE    FLOWERS    OF    MY   OWN 
GARDEN  I  DEDICATE  THIS   STORY 


2125463 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  AN  OCTOBER  DAY 1 1 

II.  THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY 22 

III.  RENEE  FINDS  A  HOME 30 

IV.  GARDENS 39 

V.  FIRST  AID 48 

VI.  EAGLES  AND  GOLDEN  EAGLETS 61 

VII.  AUNT  PEN  PLANS 71 

VIII.  BREADWINNERS 79 

IX.  THE  NEW  LODGER 92 

X.  A  SCOUT'S  HONOR 102 

XI.  YOUNG  WINGS 112 

XII.  THE  GAME 122 

XIII.  THE  CHRISTMAS  PARTY 132 

XIV.  HILL-TOP 143 

XV.  PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL 151 

XVI.  GOOD  TURNS 163 

XVII.  ANGELINE 179 

XVIII.  FOR  His  COUNTRY 197 

XIX.  A  LETTER  FROM  FRANCE 208 

XX.  THE  LOST  BABY 217 

XXI.  RENEE'S  Box 230 

XXII.  SURPRISES 240 

XXIII.  THE  BEST  OF  ALL.  .                 250 


KEXEE  EXCLAIMED   IX    DELIGHT  OVEK   THE   BIKUS   AND  THE   FLOWKUS 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Ren6e  Exclaimed  in  Delight  Over  the  Birds  and  Flowers 

Frontispiece 

The  Injured  Dog  Set  up  a  Vigorous  Barking  by  Way  of 
Welcome 61 

She  Hated  the  Races,  Because  She  Was  Always  Lagging 
Along  in  the  Rear 148 

"It  Is  Hers!    My  Baby!" 229 


LARKSPUR 

CHAPTER  I 

AN  OCTOBER  DAY 

ON  an  October  day — a  sunny  day,  and  except 
for  the  yellow  leaves  that  quivered  on  rapidly  bear- 
ing branches,  very  like  spring — Patricia  Everett, 
from  the  window  of  her  home,  watched  an  automo- 
bile drive  out  of  sight,  carrying  her  mother  and 
sister  away  to  Florida,  and  confided  to  the  empty 
room  that  she  was  the  very  unhappiest  girl  in  the 
whole  world! 

Conflicting  emotions  tormented  the  soul  of  the 
little  lady.  She  disliked  very  much  seeing  anyone 
depart  from  anywhere  without  her !  Then,  too,  so 
hurried  had  been  the  departure  that  nothing  in  the 
shape  of  candy,  books  or  toys  had  been  left  behind 
to  comfort  her!  And  saddest  of  all,  at  the  last 
moment  her  mother  had  decided  that  she  must  not 
return  to  Miss  Prindle's  because  of  an  epidemic  of 
measles ! 

The  curious  quiet  that  had  fallen  upon  the  house 
after  the  bustle  of  departure  added  to  Patricia's 

ii 


12  LARKSPUR 

loneliness.  With  a  heart  bursting  with  pity  for 
herself,  she  wandered  up  the  stairs  to  her  room — 
a  pretty  room,  its  windows  hung  in  flowered  chintz, 
a  bird  singing  from  a  cage  hanging  in  the  sunshine. 

When  his  little  mistress  walked  into  the  room 
Peter  Pan  trilled  more  gayly  than  before — it  was  as 
though  he  bade  her  come  to  the  window  and  look 
across  the  way ! 

If  she  had  looked  she  would  have  seen  in  the 
kitchen  window  of  the  shabby  brick  house,  across  the 
intersecting  street,  Mrs.  Mary  Quinn  and  her 
daughter  Sheila  rocking  in  one  another's  arms  and 
laughing  like  two  children ! 

Mrs.  Quinn's  house  was  old  and  shabby,  its  fences 
tumbling  down;  hard  times  often  knocked  at  her 
door,  but  with  it  all  her  smile  was  always  as  bright 
as  the  gay  geraniums  blooming  on  the  spotless  sill 
of  the  kitchen  window  that  faced  the  Everett  house. 

Fortune  had  come  to  the  Quinns  that  day  in 
the  guise  of  a  new  lodger.  He  had  taken  the  second 
floor  bedroom  which  stretched  across  the  back  of 
the  house.  Because  this  room  was  very  big  and 
had  a  queer,  rickety  stairway  leading  to  it  from  the 
outside  of  the  house,  it  had  never  been  rented.  But 
with  the  other  lodgers  who  lived  in  the  front  rooms 
and  the  tiny  side  bedroom  and  the  parlor,  which  had 


AN  OCTOBER  DAY  13 

been  converted  into  a  "  light  housekeeping  suite," 
Mrs.  Quinn  managed  to  keep  her  little  family  most 
comfortably  and  to  have  a  bit  left  over  for  such 
luxuries  as  the  flowers,  a  few  books,  pretty  pictures 
and  crisp  muslin  curtains. 

"  Faith,  Sheila,"  she  had  cried,  coming  into  the 
kitchen  where  her  daughter  was  preparing  apples 
for  the  oven.  "  It's  just  as  though  Dame  Fortune 
knew  it  was  your  birthday!  Now  you  shall  have 


your  music 


"  Oh,  mother!  "  cried  the  girl,  dropping  her  par- 
ing knife.  "  How  wonderful!"  Then,  hesitating: 
"  But  maybe  I  hadn't  ought  to !  That  much  each 
week  would  make  things  easier  if " 

But  Mrs.  Quinn  snatched  bowl,  apples  and  knife 
from  her  daughter's  hands.  "  Don't  let's  be  worry- 
ing over  what's  ahead,  sweetness!  We'll  just  take 
what  comes!  Didn't  I  have  my  bit  of  music  when 
I  was  a  girl  and  don't  I  know  the  longings  that 
are  in  you  to  have  things  that  other  girls  have, 
lassie?  It's  a  good  daughter  you  are  to  me  and  it's 

you  that  has  always  made  the  hard  things  easier " 

She  stopped  suddenly  as  though  something  in  her 
throat  choked  the  words.  For  answer  Sheila  caught 
the  rough  hands  that  knew  only  work  now  and  kissed 
them. 


i4  LARKSPUR 

Then  these  two,  arms  around  one  another,  the 
bowl  tipping  dangerously  between  them,  laughed 
together  as  though  there  had  never  been  a  single 
hardship  in  the  world. 

"  We're  two  sillies — that's  what  we  are !  Now 
we  must  be  about  our  work  or  the  gentleman  will 
come  and  the  room  won't  be  ready ! " 

"Who  is  he,  mother?" 

"  Sure,  child,  and  I  scarcely  asked  him !  His 
name  is  Marks  and  he  said  he  was  employed  at  the 
Everett  Works.  I  only  thought  of  you,  dearie! 
After  supper  you  run  over  and  see  Miss  Sheehan 
about  the  lessons ;  two  a  week — and  we'll  have  a  man 
come  to  tune  up  the  old  piano  and  we'll  just  pull 
it  out  here  where  it  will  be  warm  and  where  I  can 
listen  to  you! " 

So  their  work — and  there  was  much  for  their 
quick  fingers  to  do  before  the  room  could  be  put  in 
readiness  for  the  new  tenant  and  the  supper  prepared 
for  the  younger  Quinns,  would  be  made  lighter  by 
their  happy  plans ! 

But  Patricia  was  too  miserable  to  even  glance 
across  at  the  window  where  the  pink  geraniums 
bloomed.  She  did  not  want  to  think  that  there  was 
anyone  happy  anywhere  in  the  world. 

Sighing  deeply    she  curled  herself  on  her  bed, 


AN  OCTOBER  DAY  15 

drew  from  underneath  her  pillow  her  beloved  diary 
and  wrote  upon  its  open  page : 

"  This  is  such  a  cruel,  sad  moment  in  my  life 
that  I  must  write  about  it  although  it  is  too  bad  to 
put  it  in  my  nice  diary."  ( Monthly  she  and  Angeline 
Snow,  her  dearest  friend  at  Miss  Prindle's, 
exchanged  diaries. )  "I  have  been  left  alone  here 
by  a  fond  but  heartless  mother  and  sister  who  thinks 
only  of  herself  and  her  troubles  and  my  father  is 
here  at  home  and  he  is  left,  too,  only  of  course  my 
father  is  a  man  and  he  has  his  business.  But  the 
very  worst  of  all  because  they  are  afraid  of  measles 
and  Cis  says  my  hair  will  come  out  and  that  it  will 
never  be  thick  like  hers  anyway  though  I  remember 
you  and  I  said  that  we  hated  thick  hair  when  it  was 
yellow  like  hers  they  will  not  let  me  go  back  to  my 
dear  Prindles  and  so  I  am  a  prisoner  in  a  gilded  cage. 
My  Aunt  Pen  is  coming  to  live  with  us  while  my 
mother  is  away  and  I  love  her  and  she  always  lets  me 
do  everything  I  want  to  do  but  she  is  not  like  you 
or  the  other  girls  at  school.  And  though  I  have 
lived  here  many  summers  as  the  poets  say,  I  have  no 
friends  because  there  are  only  the  children  I  used 
to  meet  at  silly  parties  and  my  mother's  friends 
who  are  polite  and  stupid  and  I  shall  pine  with  lon- 
liness.  It  is  all-  Celia's  fault  though  mother  says  she 


16  LARKSPUR 

is  very  ill  and  that  she  has  worn  herself  out  doing 
war  work  and  she  looked  very  pail  and  interesting 
and  I  guess  maybe  she  worried  when  Lieut  Chauncey 
Merideth  fell  out  of  his  airplane  but  I  guess  he'll 
be  more  careful  next  time.  You  remember  I  never 
liked  him  though  when  he  comes  back  from  war 
though  he  is  only  in  Texas  I  guess  he'll  treat  me 
a  little  different  for  he  will  realise  I  am  almost 
fourteen  if  he  comes  back  in  time  and  does  not  fall 
out  again.  I  do  love  my  mother  but  she  has  been 
most  heartless  leaving  me  sad  and  lonely  and  with 
nothing  to  do.  But  as  old  English  Sparrow  says 
there  is  always  work  for  idle  hands  to  do  and  I  shall 
find  something  so  as  to  write  to  you  all  about  it.  I 
am  too  old  to  spend  my  hours  repining.  I  remember 
the  words  of  E.  Sparrow  how  we  are  captains  of  our 
souls  and  I  shall  keep  saying  that  in  my  loneliness. 
I  guess  now  I  will  go  down  and  order  the  dessert  for 
dinner " 

This  sudden  thought  so  comforted  Patricia  that 
she  closed  her  diary  quickly,  put  it  back  under  the 
pillow,  slipped  off  the  bed  and  ran  downstairs  to 
the  kitchen. 

She  found  that  Melodia,  the  cook,  had  already 
prepared  mince  tarts  for  dinner.  They  were  spread 
temptingly  upon  a  shelf.  Patricia  tasted  one  and 


AN  OCTOBER  DAY  17 

immediately  ordered  Melodia  to  make  nothing  but 
mince  tarts  for  dessert  during  her  mother's  absence! 
Perched  on  a  stool  Patricia  asked  several  questions 
concerning  the  pleasant  odors  that  came  from  the  big 
oven.  But  Melodia  seemed  to  be  very  indifferent 
as  to  the  importance  of  her  presence  in  the  kitchen; 
Patricia  was  glad  to  remember  that  she  had  promised 
her  mother  to  carry  a  report  to  the  Red  Cross  Head- 
quarters that  very  afternoon.  So,  slipping  off  her 
stool  she  stalked  majestically  away. 

Now  almost  at  the  same  moment  that  Sheila  and 
Mrs.  Quinn  were  laughing  in  their  kitchen  over  their 
wonderful  fortune  and  lonely  Patricia  was  cheer- 
ing her  heart  by  tasting  mince  tarts,  kind-hearted 
Mrs.  Atherton,  the  official  in  charge  at  the  Red  Cross 
Headquarters  on  this  October  day,  was  wrinkling 
her  pretty  brows  over  an  unusual  situation. 

Before  her,  watching  her  face  anxiously,  stood  a 
man  in  the  uniform  of  a  captain  of  the  United  States 
Army. 

"  Perhaps  I  acted  too  hastily — bringing  the  child 
here,  to  leave  on  your  hands,  but — you  can  see  how 
it  happened ;  I'd  given  my  word  to  that  boy  to  take 
care  of  his  little  sister  If  you  could  have  known 
him!  Why,  there  wasn't  a  fellow  in  my  company 
that  wouldn't  have  given»up  his  life  for  him !  They. 


i8  LARKSPUR 

didn't  need  to — he  did  it  first!"  Capt.  Allan's 
voice  broke.  "  I  got  my  orders  back  to  the  States 
and  I  just  had  time  to  go  and  find  Renee." 

"  Wouldn't  it  have  been  better  if  you  had  left  her 
somewhere  in  Paris?  " 

"  You  see  you  don't  know  the  whole  story, 
madam.  This  Emile  LaDue  was  in  the  French 
uniform  but  he  was  sort  of  an  American.  And  that 
was  my  promise — that  I'd  bring  her  back  to  America 
— somewhere.  He,  didn't  have  time  to  say  anything 
more — he  gave  me  the  address  when  we  were  in  a 
shell  hole  waiting  until  it  was  dark  enough  to  creep 
over  to  the  enemy  lines.  We  went  out  a  few  seconds 
afterwards — crawling  along  on  our  stomachs,  he 
one  way,  I  another.  I — never  saw  him  again." 

Mrs.  Atherton  openly  wiped  her  eyes. 

The  soldier  went  on :  "  I'd  keep  the  little  girl — 
just  because  I  loved  Emile  LaDue,  but  I  haven't  any 
folks  or  any  place  to  leave  her  and  I  have  to  report 
back  over  there!  When  I'm  home  for  good " 

"If  Mrs.  Everett  was  here  I  am  sure  we  could 
arrange  something,  but  she  is  out  of  town." 

It  was  at  that  moment  that  Patricia  walked  past 
the  open  door  on  her  way  from  the  Secretary's  office 
where  she  had  left  her  mother's  "report.  Mrs.  Ather- 


AN  OCTOBER  DAY  i9 

ton's  rather  high-pitched  voice  reached  her  ear.  She 
stood  quite  still. 

"  The  child  would  make  any  home  happy — she's 
a  dear  little  thing!  Has  plenty  of  clothes,  I  guess, 
but  right  now  more  than  anything  else  she  needs 
friends  and  love — quite  a  bit  of  that." 

"  A  baby!  "  thought  Patricia  excitedly;  "a  war 
orphan !  " 

Patricia's  mother  had  already  adopted  six  French 
orphans ;  Patricia  and  her  classmates  at  school  were 
supporting  several  Belgian  families  and  Celia  was 
a  godmother  to  ever  so  many  disabled  French  sol- 
diers. That  all  meant  only  sending  money  away  just 
so  often,  but  this  was  quite  different — the  baby  was 
right  here !  Patricia  had  no  time  to  think  just  what 
her  mother  might  do  in  such  a  case !  There  was  an 
offended  tone  in  the  man's  voice  as  though  he  might 
take  his  war-orphan  and  go  away  and  not  come  back ! 
So  she  walked  straight  into  the  room. 

"  Mrs.  Atherton,  I  will  take  this  child  imme- 
diately." 

Both  Mrs.  Atherton  and  the  captain  gasped  at 
the  sudden  appearance  of  Patricia,  Patricia,  seeing 
doubt  in  Mrs.  Atherton's  eyes,  turned  to  the  soldier. 

"  My  mother  is  away,  but  if  you  will  bring  the — 


20  LARKSPUR 

the  baby  to  my  home  I  will  ask  my  father,  and  I 
know  he  will  let  her  stay !  " 

Mrs.  Atherton  hurriedly  explained.  "  This  is 
Miss  Patricia  Everett,  the  daughter  of  the  lady  of 

whom  I  was  speaking.     Perhaps "  she  hesitated. 

She  was  thinking  rapidly — something,  of  course, 
must  be  done  with  the  child !  "  This  might  solve  our 
problem — until  you  return  and  wish  to  make  other 
arrangements." 

"  Oh  please  bring  her,"  cried  Patricia  in  quite 
her  natural  manner.  "  I  can't  go  back  to  school 
because  of  the  measles  there  and  I'd  lose  my  hair 
and  I  am  dreadfully  lonesome,  and  I  should  love 
a  baby !  We'll  go  home  and  I'll  send  Watkins  after 
Daddy  and  then  we'll  tell  him." 

It  sounded  so  logical  that  even  Mrs.  Atherton 
nodded  approvingly. 

"  Where  is  she?  "  asked  Patricia,  looking  around 
the  room  as  though  some  corner  might  conceal  a  bun- 
dle that  would  prove  to  be  the  little  war-orphan. 

"I  left  her  outside,  in  the  taxi.  I  wanted  to 
find  out  what  could  be  done." 

"  Well,  let's  hurry !  "  commanded  Patricia,  turn- 
ing toward  the  door.  "  I  know  Daddy'll  say  yes,  for 
you  see  my  mother  and  sister  have  ever  so  many 
orphans  and  this  will  be  mine  and  Daddy's."  She 


AN  OCTOBER  DAY  2J 

was  running  eagerly  ahead  of  Capt.  Allan  out  of  the 
door  and  down  the  long  flight  of  steps. 

"Can  she  walk  yet?"  she  whispered  excitedly. 

"  I  should  say  so ! "  he  laughed,  throwing  open 
the  door  of  the  taxicab. 

And  within  Patricia  beheld  staring  gravely  at 
her  from  a  corner  of  the  automobile,  her  small  hands 
clasped  tightly  in  her  lap,  her  pale  face  framed  by 
a  wealth  of  golden  hair  that  hung  in  soft  curls  over 
her  shabby  coat — not  the  war-orphan  she  had  pic- 
tured, but  a  little  girl  of  her  own  age! 

"  Miss  Renee  LaDue,"  the  Captain  said  with  a 

sweeping  gesture.  "  And  this  young  lady "  he 

hesitated  a  moment,  as  though  the  "name  Mrs.  Ather- 
ton  had  spoken  had  slipped  his  mind. 

Patricia,  almost  too  astonished  and  too  delighted 
to  make  a  sound,  stammered : 

"  I'm  Patricia  Everett,  but  please,  just  call  me 
Pat!" 


CHAFER  II 
THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY 

CERTAIN  that  some  serious  catastrophe  must  have 
happened,  Thomas  Everett  ran  up  the  steps  of  his 
house  with  the  speed  of  a  schoolboy.  Watkins,  the 
chauffeur,  had  found  him  at  his  office. 

"Miss  Pat,  sir,  says  you  are  to  hurry  home  at 
once — that  it  is  awfully  important."  He  had 
repeated  her  exact  words  and  even  imitated  her 
imperative  tone. 

When  Mr.  Everett  had  anxiously  asked  him 
"  what  had  happened,"  he  had  shaken  his  head  and 
had  said :  "  I  don't  know,  sir,  what  it  is,  sir,  but  I'm 
sure  it  is  something  because  I've  never  seen  Miss  Pat 
so  excited ! " 

Patricia  was  awaiting  her  father  in  the  hall. 
There  were  not  many  things  that  she  had  ever  wanted 
that  he  had  refused  her — but  then  this  was  very  dif- 
ferent and  he  might  say  "  No !  "  She  greeted  him 
with  a  violent  hug  and,  talking  so  fast  that  he  could 
not  make  out  one  word  that  she  was  saying,  she 
dragged  him  toward  the  library  door. 

"  They're  in  there,  Daddy,  and  oh,  please  do  let 
her  stay !  "  she  whispered. 


THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY  23 

Within  the  room  Mr.  Everett  found  a  tall  soldier 
holding  a  shy  little  girl  by  the  hand.  The  officer 
introduced  himself  with  a  word  or  two,  and  with  the 
same  directness  he  had  used  in  telling  his  story  to 
Mrs.  Atherton,  he  now  plunged  straight  to  the  point. 

"  I  have  brought  this  little  girl  from  France. 
She  is  one  of — those  many — who  has  lost  everyone 
and  everything — through  this  war !  "  He  was  trying 
to  choose  his  words  carefully  so  as  to  spare  the  little 
girl  as  much  as  he  could. 

Realizing  his  embarrassment  Mr.  Everett  inter- 
rupted him.  "  Pat,  dear,  take  the  little  girl  and  show 
her  the  birds."  Patricia,  rather  reluctantly  led  the 
little  stranger  off  to  the  small  conservatory  beyond 
the  dining-room  where,  in  beautiful  cages,  many  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  birds  sang  joyously. 

"  Thanks,  sir,"  the  officer  drew  a  breath.  "  Tak- 
ing care  of  this  small  lady  has  been  the  most  difficult 
thing  I  ever  attempted.  I'll  tell  you  the  story,  sir, 
so  that  you  can  understand.  About  six  months  ago 
a  young  French  officer  was  attached  to  our  company. 
He  directed  the  scouting.  There  were  six  of  us 
picked  out  to  work  with  him.  I  was  one  of  them. 
We  did  some  mighty  ticklish  work,  sir — for  a  few 
weeks  there."  Almost  involuntarily  the  man's  fin- 
gers went  to  the  small  cross  of  honor  he  wore  on 


24  LARKSPUR 

his  tunic.  "And  we  fellows  get  pretty  well 
acquainted,  you  know — just  lying  hours  in  a  shell 
hole  next  to  another  man  is  like  knowing  him  for 
years  and  years  back  home.  It  was  like  that  with  this 
Emile  LaDue  and  me.  I  found  out  that  his  father 
and  mother  had  been  born  in  America — they  were 
both  dead,  for  one  night  he  told  me  that  if  anything 
happened  to  him — and  there  was  plenty  of  chance 
for  something  to  happen  any  minute — it  would  leave 
his  little  sister  all  alone  in  the  world.  He  never  talked 
much  about  himself — back  in  the  lines  he  was  the 
bravest,  cheeriest  one  in  the  crowd,  laughing  at  every 
sort  of  hardship,  but  when  we'd  get  out  he'd  get  quiet 
and  I  knew  what  was  on  his  mind.  He'd  tell  little 
things  at  different  times.  It  seems  he'd  made  a 
promise  to  his  mother  that  he'd  bring  the  little  girl 
to  America  to  live — and  he'd  kept  putting  it  off,  and 
then  the  war  came  along  and  he  thought  it  might  be 
too  late!  That  bothered  him  more  than  anything 
else.  The  last  night  I  was  with  him  we  were  hiding 
in  a  dirty  hole — four  of  us — almost  covered  with 
mud  and  water.  He  and  I  lay  close  together;  we 
could  only  whisper,  for  some  of  the  Boche  had  seen 
us  and  we  had  to  keep  low  until  it  was  darker.  We'd 
been  there  for  hours,  not  more'n  just  breathing  when 
he  whispered  suddenly  in  my  ear :  '  Allan,  I  may 


THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY  25 

not  come  out  of  this — and  you  may.    Will  you ' 

You  know  some  of  the  boys  over  there  have  premo- 
nitions and  they're  pretty  nearly  always  true  and  I 
suppose  he  had  one !  I  knew  what  he  wanted  to  say, 
and  he'd  been  the  bravest  and  best  pal  a  man  could 
ever  find  and  we'd  faced  death  a  hundred  times,  side 
by  side,  and  he'd  never  flunked  once,  so  I  whispered : 
*  Don't  you  worry — just  tell  me  where  I  can  find 
your  little  sister.'  He  twisted  around  until  he  could 
get  a  hand  into  his  pocket.  He  gave  me  a  card. 
He  said :  '  She's  all  alone  in  the  world !  Take  her 
back  to  America — I  didn't  make  good!  All  her  life 
my  mother  planned  that  and  when  she  died  I  prom- 
ised to  do  it ! '  He  tried  to  tell  me  something  about 
a  box,  but  a  star  shell  burst  right  next  to  us  and  we 
had  to  dig  down  into  the  mud  and  we  scarcely 
breathed  for  fear  the  Boche  snipers  would  hear  us !  " 
Capt.  Allan's  voice,  halting  through  the  story  as 
though  it  hurt  him  to  recall  the  bitter  memories, 
suddenly  broke. 

"  Just  after  that  we  crawled  out — we  had  to  do 
our  job  and  get  back  with  the  stuff  the  Colonel 
wanted  to  know!  We  divided  up — two  of  us  went 
one  way  and  two  the  other.  I  got  over  and  through 
and  back  to  our  lines  with  the  information  and  I 
won  this  " — touching  his  cross — "  and  got  a  sniper's 


26  LARKSPUR 

bullet  in  the  shoulder.  I  was  put  out  of  business 
then — for  three  weeks."  He  stopped  again — it  was 
very  hard  for  him  to  tell  his  tale.  Mr.  Everett  was 
giving  occasional  nods  of  sympathy. 

"  When  I  got  back  to  my  company  they  told  me 
the  Jerries  had  caught  LaDue !  He  had  almost  got- 
ten away  when  he  was  killed  by  a  hand  grenade.  The 
other  man  with  him  was  made  a  prisoner.  The  boys 
found  LaDue  when  they  advanced — they  buried  him 
out  there  with  a  lot  of  others!  That  was  always 
the  worst,  sir — these  good  pals  that  you'd  messed 
with  and  bunked  with  under  the  same  muddy  blankets 
and  lived  with  through  hours  and  hours  of  waiting 
for  no  one  ever  knew  what — and  then — just  flesh  and 
bones  out  in  that  desolation  and  buried — any  old 

place "    He  pulled  himself  together.     "  Excuse 

me,  sir — I  loved  the  boy — I'd  have  liked  to  have 
just  said — oh,  good  luck,  old  chap — or  something 
like  that !  Well,  I  asked  for  a  furlough  to  hunt  up 
the  little  sister  and  what  did  they  do  but  order  me 
back  to  the  States  on  a  special  mission  to  the  Intelli- 
gence Department.  I  had  just  twenty-four  hours  to 
find  the  child.  I  had  no  trouble,  though — she  was 
at  the  address  out  in  St.  Cloud,  living  with  a  queer 
old  couple — the  man  was  a  veteran  of  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war  and  the  wife  raises  flowers — only  no 


THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY  27 

one  in  France  is  buying  flowers  now!  I  suppose 
they  were  all  living  on  what  Emile  was  sending  to 
them.  They  didn't  want  to  let  the  child  go — I  think 
they  were  truly  fond  of  her,  but  when  I  told  them 
what  I  had  promised  Emile  they  never  said  another 
word.  I  had  to  break  it  to  them  that  he  had  been 
killed !  I  was  afraid  of  Renee  crying  and  wonder- 
ing how  I'd  comfort  her  and  then  I  wished  that  she 
would  cry!  She  was  such  a  pathetic  little  thing — 
all  she'd  say  was  '  He  told  me  it  would  be  for  Amer- 
ica and  France ! '  I  tell  you,  sir,  even  the  little 
ones  are  as  brave  as  any !  " 

"  Well,  old  Susette  packed  her  clothes  and  I 
started  back  with  her,  though  I  hadn't  the  ghost  of 
an  idea  where  to  take  her !  I  haven't  a  home  or  any 
folks  of  my  own,  sir,  but  I  said  to  myself — there's 
the  Red  Cross,  they'll  tell  me!  I  had  come  to  this 
town  first,  sir,  so  I  just  brought  her  along  with  me 
and — here  we  are !  "  He  laughed  ruefully.  "  I 
guess  I  didn't  think  the  thing  out  very  much !  Over 
there,  you  know,  homes  are  smashed  up  in  a  twink- 
ling, and  so  many  kiddies — like  this  little  one — are 
left  along  by  the  wayside,  that  you  don't  stop  to  think 
but  just  gather  'em  in!  Our  boys  can't  stand  seeing 
the  children  suffer,  sir — why,  I've  watched  many 
a  one  just  turn  his  whole  mess  right  over  to  a  bunch 


28  LARKSPUR 

of  kids — they're  so  hungry  looking."  He  paused 
for  a  moment.  "  That's  all,  sir,  and  if  you  can  find 
a  place  for  Renee  to  live  where  she'll  be  safe  and — 
happy,  I'll  gladly  give  half  my  pay  and  take  her 
when  I  come  back !  " 

The  story  of  Renee  LaDue  finished,  the  officer 
stood  very  straight  and  looked  anxiously  at  his 
listener. 

Often  during  the  story  Mr.  Everett  had  brushed 
something  suspiciously  like  tears  from  his  eyes.  He 
rose  quickly  now  and  held  out  his  hand. 

"  With  what  you  boys  are  doing — and  giving  up 
— there  isn't  anything  we  who  have  to  stay  at  home 
could  refuse  to  do !  Renee  shall  be  taken  care  of — I 
promise  you  that!  Nothing  must  be  said  about 
money.  When  the  war  is  over  and  you  return — then 
you  shall  come  and  claim  her  if  you  wish! " 

The  soldier's  face  beamed  with  pleasure. 

"  Oh,  sir,  that  is  splendid !  You  can't  imagine 
how  responsible  I  feel  about  my  promise  to  Emile — 
or  what  a  fine  chap  he  was !  " 

Mr.  Everett  took  a  notebook  and  a  pencil  from 
his  pocket. 

"  Please  give  me  some  of  the  facts  concerning 
this  child,"  he  said  in  a  business-like  manner. 


THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY  29 

As  Capt.  Allan  repeated  them  he  entered  each  in 
the  little  book. 

"  And  you  know  nothing  more  concerning 
Emile's  family  ?  " 

"  Only  a  little  more — back  in  the  hospital  I  talked 
with  a  French  surgeon  who  had  known  Emile's 
father.  He  said  he  had  been  a  sculptor — until  he 
grew  blind.  I  imagine  they  were  very  poor.  The 
doctor  said  that  Emile  had  been  studying,  too — in 
Paris.  I  remembered  he  had  said  something  once  to 
me  that  had  made  me  think  he  was  just  waiting  to 
finish  his  studies  to  keep  his  promise  to  his  mother — 
to  come  to  America  to  live !  " 

Thomas  Everett  shook  his  head.  "  Oh,  what  this 
war  has  done !  The  boy  was  doubtless  gifted !  "  He 
sighed  deeply.  "  When  it  is  possible  go  to  Paris 
and,  for  the  child's  sake,  find  out  all  you  can  of  her 
family.  In  the  meantime " 

But  at  this  point  Patricia,  too  impatient  to  longer 
await  her  father's  decision,  burst  into  the  room ! 


CHAPTER  III 

RENEE  FINDS  A  HOME 

AT  her  first  introduction  in  the  taxi-cab  Patricia 
had  undertaken  to  converse  with  Miss  Renee  in  the 
stilted  French  she  had  learned  at  Miss  Prindle's. 
But  Renee  had  answered  in  perfect  English. 

Now,  with  the  singing  of  the  birds  to  tune  their 
voices  to  a  happy  note,  with  the  pretty  flowers  bring- 
ing a  smile  to  Renee' s  sad  little  face,  it  was  easy  to 
bridge  over  the  formality  of  "  getting  acquainted." 
Renee  exclaimed  in  delight  over  the  birds  and  the 
flowers  and  Pat  rattled  on  like  a  small  magpie,  though 
all  the  while  straining  her  ears  to  catch  a  single 
word  or  tone  of  her  father's  voice  from  the  library. 

She  had  her  own  way — sometimes  a  rather 
naughty  way — of  getting  what  she  wanted  from 
her  family,  but  this  was  so  different,  and  she  wanted 
it  so  very  much  that  she  felt  very  anxious  and 
uncertain!  So  after  she  had  waited  what  seemed 
to  her  a  very  long  time  she  abruptly  led  Renee  back 
to  the  library.  As  they  entered  the  room  her  father 
held  out  both  hands.  One  took  one  of  hers,  with  the 
other  he  drew  Renee  close  to  him. 

30 


RENEE  FINDS  A  HOME  31 

"  My  dear  little  girl,  Capt.  Allan  is  going  to 
leave  you  with  us  for  a  little  while!  And  I  have 
given  him  my  promise  that  you  shall  be  as  safe  and 

happy  as  it  is  possible  for  us  to  make  you "  He 

wanted  to  say  a  great  deal  more  to  make  Renee  feel 
at  home  but  Patricia  interrupted  him  with  a  tempes- 
tuous hug  that  almost  swept  him  from  his  feet. 

"  Oh,  you  dear,  dear  Daddy !  "  Then  she  threw 
her  arms  around  Renee' s  neck.  "  Oh,  I  am  so 
happy !  "  she  was  crying  over  and  over,  as  though 
she  had  been  the  homeless  one  and  Renee  had  taken 
her  in. 

"  Don't  forget  me,  Miss  Everett,"  the  soldier 
put  in  so  comically  that  Patricia  almost  embraced 
him,  too !  Instead  she  shook  both  his  hands  delight- 
edly. As  Renee  turned  to  Capt.  Allan  her  lips 
trembled  a  little,  for  she  had  learned  to  love  and  trust 
him  and  already  looked  upon  him  as  her  guardian. 

"  Just  you  be  brave  and  happy,  little  sister !  "  he 
said  softly  to  her,  "  and  as  soon  as  I  can  I  will  come 
back!" 

Then  he  shook  hands  with  each  one  of  them  and 
Renee  shyly  kissed  him.  Mr.  Everett  went  with  him 
to  the  door.  Patricia,  knowing  how  hard  the  parting 
was  for  her  little  guest,  seized  her  hand  and  dragged 
her  toward  a  door  at  the  end  of  the  big  hall. 


32  LARKSPUR 

"  Let's  go  and  find  Melodia!  I  know  something 
she's  got!" 

Only  a  few  moments  before  Melodia  had  been 
telling  the  butler  and  the  upstairs  maid  about  "  that 
Miss  Pat's  giving  her  orders  so  comical "  and  they 
were  all  laughing  merrily  over  it  when  Miss  Pat 
burst  in  upon  them,  leading  Renee  by  the  hand. 

"  Melodia,  I  have  a  guest  only  she's  going  to 
live  with  us!  Please  make  lots  of  tarts,  and  can't 
Renee  have  just  a  little  one  now?  Jasper,  carry 
Miss  Renee' s  trunk  to  my  room — it's  in  the  front 
hall !  Maggie,  please  get  a  cot  from  the  storeroom 
and  put  it  right  next  to  my  bed."  She  turned  toward 
the  pantry.  "  I'll  take  some  tarts  now,  Melodia,  for 
Miss  Renee  is  hungry!  Don't  all  stand  and  stare 
like  that,  but  please  do  as  I  tell  you !  "  She  helped 
herself  as  she  spoke  to  two  of  the  juiciest  of  the 
tempting  tarts. 

"  Well,  I  never !  "  Jasper  and  Maggie  and  Melo- 
dia all  exclaimed. 

Patricia  turned  with  dignity.  "  Miss  Renee  has 

come  from  France.  She  is  a — a "  She  was 

going  to  say  "  war-orphan  "  but  suddenly  it  occurred 
to  her  that  that  might  make  Renee  unhappy.  So  she 
finished :  "  Her  brother  has  died  for  us  in  France  and 
left  her  all  alone !  "  Patricia  used  an  expression  she 


RENEE  FINDS  A  HOME  33 

had  heard  often.  "  You  three  and  Daddy  and  me 
have  a  debt  to  pay — and  we  are  going  to  pay  it ! " 

The  three  servants  were  deeply  impressed  by  the 
grandness  of  Patricia's  words  and  manner;  and, 
too,  Renee' s  sad  little  face  won  their  hearts  in  an 
instant.  Jasper  coughed  violently  and  hurried  away 
to  find  the  trunk.  Melodia  wiped  her  eye  with  the 
corner  of  her  apron. 

"The  dear  little  thing!  Well,  we'll  just  make 
you  happy  and  put  flesh  on  your  bones,  bless  your 
heart,  missy ! " 

Patricia,  satisfied  that  she  had  properly  estab- 
lished Renee  in  the  household,  then  led  her  upstairs 
to  her  own  room.  Renee,  accustomed  to  the  tiny 
chamber  under  the  gable  at  St.  Cloud,  exclaimed  with 
admiration  when  Patricia  opened  the  door.  Already 
Jasper  had  put  down  the  queer  old  trunk  and  was 
busily  engaged  unfastening  its  buckles  and  straps. 
Maggie  was  watching,  much  disturbed. 

"Miss  Pat,  I  wish  your  mother  was  home!  I 
know  she  wouldn't  want  me  to  bring  a  cot  in  here 
a-cluttering  up  the  tidiness  of  your  room  when  there's 
the  blue  room  and  the  violet  room  empty  and  that 
room  on  the  third  floor " 

Alarmed   that    Maggie   might    separate   them, 


34  LARKSPUR 

Patricia  exclaimed  quickly :  "  I  don't — care!  We 
won't  make  things  untidy !  I  want  her  in  here !  " 

"  What's  all  this  about?  "  interrupted  Mr.  Ever- 
ett, coming  at  that  moment  to  the  door. 

Patricia,  Renee,  Jasper  and  Maggie  all  turned  to 
him.  But  Patricia,  catching  his  coat,  pulled  him  to 
her  so  that,  by  reaching  on  tip-toe,  she  could  whis- 
per in  his  ear : 

"  You  see,  Daddy,  I  want  her  right  in  here ! 
Maggie  says  that  it  will  make  things  untidy  but  we 
can't  let  her  get  homesick  or — or  unhappy,  and 
she  might  if  she's  left  all  alone  in  the  blue  room  or 

the  vi'let  room "  Patricia  rubbed  her  cheek 

coaxingly  against  her  father's  shoulder,  then  added 
solemnly :  "  I  guess  /  know  what  it  is  to  be  lonesome, 
for  I  have  been  lots  and  lots  of  times — just  because 
everyone  was  so  grownup  and  I  hadn't  anyone  to 
be  with  like  a  little  sister,  and  now — please,  Daddy, 
we  will  keep  the  room  as  neat  as  can  be!  " 

Renee' s  eyes  echoed  Patricia's  pleadings. 

"  Well,  well,  Maggie,  we'll  have  to  let  them 
decide  things,  I  guess,"  he  laughed,  "  at  least  until 
Miss  Penelope  comes !  " 

In  all  the  excitement  Patricia  had  quite  forgotten 
the  approaching  arrival  of  Aunt  Pen. 

"  Aunty  Pen,  Aunty  Pen,"  she  cried,  catching 


RENEE  FINDS  A  HOME  35 

Renee's  hands  and  swinging  her  around.  "  I'd 
just  clean  forgotten  she  was  coming!  You'll  love 
her!" 

Certainly  little  Renee  had  not  time  to  be  unhappy 
— each  moment  seemed  to  bring  something  new! 
While  Patricia  was  explaining  all  about  Aunty  Pen 
and  why  she  was  coming,  and  her  story  had,  of 
course,  to  include  Celia  and  even  the  Lieut.  Chauncey 
Meredith  and  his  fall  from  his  airplane,  Maggie, 
scolding  a  little  under  her  breath,  was  spreading 
snowy  sheets  over  a  bed-lounge  which  Patricia  had 
drawn  up  close  to  her  own  little  bed. 

In  the  next  moment,  Aunt  Pen  again  forgotten, 
Patricia  was  tumbling  her  own  possessions  from  one 
of  the  drawers  of  the  mahogany  chest  to  make  room 
for  the  contents  of  Renee's  little  trunk. 

"  We'll  just  share  everything,"  she  cried.  "  We'll 
have  just  the  same  halves !  And  let's  hang  up  your 
dresses  now ! " 

Poor  Renee  did  not  need  the  generous  space  of 
one-half  of  Patricia's  wardrobe  for  her  shabby 
dresses — they  were  only  four  in  number  and  sadly 
worn!  But  she  hung  them  away  proudly,  telling 
Patricia  that  no  one  in  France  now  wore  new  things ! 

"  Poor  Susette  used  to  spend  hours  mending  my 
clothes,  trying  to  make  them  hold  together,"  laughed 


36  LARKSPUR 

Renee,  tenderly  recalling  her  good  old  friend  at 
St.  Cloud. 

"Tell  me  all  about  her!" 

So,  sitting  cross-legged  on  the  floor  beside  the 
almost  empty  trunk,  Renee  described  Susette  and  the 
cottage  at  St.  Cloud  and  the  wonderful  flowers  that 
had  used  to  sell  so  well  before  the  war,  and  the 
school  where  she  had  gone  after  her  mother  had  died ; 
how  she  and  Emile  always  talked  in  English  because 
her  mother  had  made  them  promise,  and  how  in  the 
long,  anxious,  lonely  days  after  Emile  had  gone,  she 
had  used  to  teach  simple  English  words  to  Susette 
as  they  sat  together  among  the  flowers  that  nobody 
wanted  to  buy ! 

From  the  bottom  of  the  trunk  Renee  drew  a  box 
covered  with  worn  leather,  tooled  and  colored  like 
the  binding  of  a  beautiful  book.  So  old  was  it  that 
the  colors  blended  and  looked  all  blue  and  gold  and 
green.  Renee  lifted  it  tenderly,  as  though  it  was 
precious ! 

"  Oh,  how  queer  and  how  be-wf-if ul !  "  cried 
Patricia,  all  admiration  and  curiosity.  "  What  do 
you  keep  in  it?  " 

Renee  held  the  box  very  close  to  her. 

"I  don't  know!  It  was  my  mother's  and  now 
it's  Emile' £  and  mine,  or  " — she  carefully  corrected 


RENEE  FINDS  A  HOME  37 

herself — "  I  suppose  it's  just  mine.  But  we  don't 
know  what  is  in  it  for  we  never  had  the  key!  My 
mother  died  before  she  could  tell  Emile  where  it  was! 
And  Emile  made  me  promise  before  he  went  away 
that  I  would  keep  the  box  and  never  let  anyone  open 
it!" 

"  And  you  haven't  even  the  teeniest  idea  what  is 
in  it?  Didn't  you  ever  just  shake  it?  " 

"  Oh,  lots  of  times!  "  confessed  Renee.  "  But 
nothing  makes  any  noise.  And  of  course  I  would 
keep  my  promise  to  Emile." 

Patricia  rocked  back  and  forth  on  her  heels  in 

joy- 

"Oh,  what  a  spliffy  mystery!  I  can't  wait  to 
write  to  the  girls! "  Then  she  laughed  at  Renee' s 
bewilderment.  "  Spliffy  is  a  word  we  learned  at 
Miss  Prindle's  and  it  means  scrumptious  or  delicious 
or  grand!  Don't  you  love  a  mystery?  And  isn't 
it  the  lov-li-est  box?  " 

"  Emile  said  it  must  have  been  made  by  some 
Italian  master  years  and  years  ago.  I  have  this 
queer  locket,  too — it  was  my  mother's,"  and  from 
a  little  bag,  wrapped  in  folds  and  folds  of  tissue 
paper,  Renee  drew  a  curious  gold  locket.  "  It  is 
much  too  big  to  wear  but  I  am  very  careful  of 
it — it  is  all  I  have!  I  pretend  that  the  box  and  the 


38  LARKSPUR 

locket  both  once  upon  a  time  belonged  to  some  royal 
prince  in  Venice!  Once,  when  I  was  little,  mother 
took  Emile  and  me  to  Venice — she  had  been  sick  and 
she  had  to  go  where  the  sun  was  warm !  " 

Patricia,  who  had  always  considered  herself  an 
experienced  and  much  traveled  young  lady,  sud- 
denly felt  very  small  and  young  compared  to  Renee 
and  all  that  she  had  done ! 

"  Is  Venice  like  the  pictures — all  colors  like  shells 
and  funny  boats  and  people  singing?  " 

But  Renee  had  no  chance  to  answer.  The  door- 
bell clanged  and  in  a  moment  they  heard  a  cheery 
voice  answering  Mr.  Everett's  greeting. 

"  It's  Aunt  Pen — come  on !  "  cried  Patricia,  rush- 
ing headlong  down  the  stairs. 


CHAPTER  IV 

GARDENS 

"  I'M  certainly  very  glad  you've  come,  Penelope; 
my  family,  which  has  so  suddenly  increased,  is  going 
to  need  a  guiding  hand!  " 

Penelope  Everett,  called  by  some  a  "  strong- 
minded  woman  "  because  she  had,  since  her  college 
days,  worn  low-heeled  shoes,  boyish  coats,  comfort- 
able hats  and  simple  dresses,  was  Thomas  Everett's 
favorite  sister.  Though  many  years  younger  than 
he,  there  was  a  directness  about  her,  a  something  in 
the  way  she  carried  her  head,  poised  squarely,  that 
made  him  feel  he  could  put  anything  upon  her 
shoulders. 

She  gave  a  cheery  laugh  now  in  response  to  the 
seriousness  of  his  manner. 

Patricia  and  Renee  had  long  since  gone  to  bed, 
side  by  side.  Renee  had  cuddled  down  under  the  soft 
coverings  with  a  little  sigh  of  content.  Very  tired 
with  long  days  of  travel  she  had  dropped  off  to  sleep 
quickly,  while  Patricia's  voice,  pitched  to  a  low  tone, 
had  gone  on  in  an  endless  account  of  "  what  we'll  do 
to-morrow !  "  Aunt  Pen,  tiptoeing  in  a  little  later, 

39 


40  LARKSPUR 

had  found  Patricia's  hand  clasping  Renee's  tightly 
under  the  covers. 

She  recalled  that  now  as  she  sat  with  her  brother 
before  the  library  fire. 

"  Do  you  know,  Thomas,  you've  done  the  most 
wonderful  thing  in  the  world  for  Pat?  " 

Pat's  father  stared  at  her.  He  had  thought  she 
meant  to  praise  him  for  taking  in  the  lonely  little 
girl  from  France! 

"  Why — what  do  you  mean?  " 
"  Just  this — Pat's  going  to  have  something  now 
that  she's  never  had  before — true  comradeship!  " 

Thomas  Everett  nodded  his  head.  "  That  is  so ! 
Pat  said  something  queer  to  me,  about  being  lonely 
lots  of  times !  " 

"Of  course  she's  been  lonely — often!  She's 
almost  a  stranger  in  her  own  home !  You  whisk  her 
from  school  to  the  seashore  or  some  such  place  and 
then  back — to  another  school!  And  everything  on 
earth  is  done  for  her,  she  doesn't  have  to  think  of 
anything  for  herself,  let  alone  for  anyone  else!  " 

Pat's  father  laughed.  "  Why,  I  thought  we  were 
bringing  her  up  along  the  most  model  lines!  But 
perhaps  you  have  some  new  fads  now !  "  He  liked 
to  tease  Penelope. 

She  was  too  much  in  earnest  to  mind  his  fun. 


GARDENS  41 

"  Poor  Pat  has  been  the  victim  of  too  many  fads 
already!  I  tell  you,  brother,  this  war  has  shown 
us  a  whole  lot  of  silly  mistakes  we  were  making 
in  our  living !  " 

"  Before  you  go  one  bit  further,  Penelope  dear, 
do  promise  to  speak  in  words  of  one  syllable!  I 
know  all  about  steel  but  I  must  admit  I'm  very  stupid 
about  girls ! " 

"  Thomas,  you're  not  stupid — you  just  don't 
think  about  them  and  yet  your  two  girls  are  more 
precious  to  you  than  the  whole  steel  market!  And 
what  are  you  doing  with  them  ?  Look  at  Celia — how 
has  she  stood  the  trials  of  this  wartime?  Goodness 
knows,  you've  spent  enough  money  on  her  to  have 
made  a  strong  woman  of  her!  " 

"  But  she's  young,  Pen " 

"  Celia' s  twenty-one — that's  the  age  they've  been 
drafting  the  boys  to  go  and  fight  for  us!  She's  a 
few  years  older  than  some  who  have  died  over  in 
France.  And  now  she's  had  a  nervous  breakdown ! 
Why  in  the  world  should  Celia  have  any  nerves  at 
all?" 

"  You're  right,  Pen,  but " 

"  This  draft  we  have  had  in  this  country  has  been 
a  wonderful  thing ;  it  has  sorted  out  our  manhood. 
But  I'm  sorry  the  women  couldn't  have  had  it,  too. 


42  LARKSPUR 

I  wonder  how  many  would  have  measured  up  to  the 
standards,  and  why  not?  Because  we  older  ones 
make  mistakes  with  the  girls — like  Pat !  " 

Penelope  was  standing  now,  very  straight,  before 
the  fire,  her  eyes  bright  in  her  earnestness. 

"  I  tell  you  we've  reached  a  wonderful  day, 
brother — we  can  see  things  as  we  never  saw  them 
before !  Silly  old  prejudices  and  habits  and  notions 
have  been  swept  aside.  Do  you  know  one  thing 
we've  learned?  That  it  is  something  even  greater 
than  love  for  one's  country  that  has  made  men  go 
out  and  fight — to  victory;  it's  a  love  for  right  and 
justice!  And  in  one  of  John  Randolph's  books  he 
tells  us  that  it  is  that  love  for  right  and  justice 
that  will  make  the  real  brotherhood  of  men  and 
nations!  Who  is  going  to  carry  on  this  ideal  as 
we  have  found  it?  Why,  our  boys  and  girls — girls 
like  Pat!" 

"  Pen,  your  eloquence  makes  me  feel  as  though 
I  had  never  known  the  real  meaning  of  the  word 
duty!'' 

"  Oh,  it  isn't  half  so  much — duty,  Tom,  as  it  is 
plain  common  sense.  I've  often  thought  that  raising 
girls  and  boys  is  something  like  a  garden!  If  you 
were  planning  a  garden  and  wanted  to  grow  some- 
thing beautiful — oh,  say  larkspur,  for  I  don't  think 


GARDENS  43 

any  garden  is  perfect  without  it  and  no  flower  is 
harder  to  get  started — wouldn't  you  want  to  know 
that  you  were  putting  in  seed  that  would  grow  into 
hardy  blossoms,  blooming  year  after  year,  keeping 
your  garden  lovely  and  the  world  richer  for  their 
beauty?" 

Penelope  paused  long  enough  to  draw  a  deep 
breath. 

"  There  at  Miss  Prindle's  Pat  is  learning  to  speak 
French  and  Latin  and  how  to  use  her  hands  and  feet 
and  walk  out  of  a  room  properly  and  a  dinner-table- 
speaking  acquaintance  with  art  and  the  masters  and 
ancient  history — and  that's  all  very  well,  but  how 
much  will  she  know  of  the  problems  she  must  face 
by  and  by  unless  she  begins  to  mingle  with  the  sort 
of  people  that  make  up  this  world?  And  above  all 
else — unless  you  build  up  for  her  a  strong  body  that 
will  mean  a  brave  heart  and  a  clear  head,  what  ser- 
vice, I  ask  you,  cari  she  give  to  her  fellowmen  and 
her  country  ?  " 

"  You're  certainly  right,  Pen !  And  now*,  if 
you've  finished  a  very  good  sermon,  let's  get  down  to 
business.  I  take  it  you  want  to — raise  larkspur! 
I  don't  know  much  about  'em,  even  in  gardens !  I've 
left  these  things  to  the  children's  mother! " 

Penelope  dropped  into  a  chair  with  a  little, 
ashamed  laugh. 


44  LARKSPUR 

"  My  sermon  does  sound  as  though  I  was  criti- 
cizing Caroline  dreadfully !  I  know  she  is  devoted  to 
the  girls.  And  so  am  I — and  so  are  you.  She's 
bringing  them  up  just  the  way  she  was  brought  up !  " 

"Well,  what  shall  we  do?"  asked  Pat's  father 
with  the  tone  of  a  conspirator. 

"  You've  started  doing  right  now  the  very  best 
thing  in  the  world — bringing  that  poor  little  girl 
into  the  family !  Patricia  loves  her  already  and  she'll 
learn  for  the  first  time  to  consider  another  child 
before  herself.  She's  never  had  to  do  it  before! 
Why,  to-night  I  found  her  carefully  dividing  her 
clothes  so  that  Renee  might  have  just  as  many  things 
as  she  had." 

"  Does  Renee  need  clothes ?    I'll " 

"  Now  don't  spoil  it  all  by  buying  new  things — 
let  Patricia  give  up  some  of  her  own !  It  is  making 
her  very  happy.  Through  Renee  she  is  going  to 
know  something  of  the  trials  that  come  to  others  and 
she  is  going  to  learn  to  want  to  be  helpful.  She  has 
gone  to  sleep  now  holding  Renee' s  hand." 

Both  their  minds  turned  to  Renee. 

"  A  curious  tragedy — this,  that  has  brought  this 
child  into  our  circle!  Caroline  might  have  made 
some  other  arrangement,  but  Pat's  heart  was  set  upon 
keeping  her — and  she  -will  have  her  own  way !  " 


GARDENS  45 

"  Pat's  mother  is  too  absorbed  now  in  Celia  to 
think  much  about  it  and  when  she  returns  Renee 
will  win  her  love  with  her  little  face!  What  a 
story  the  child's  life  makes  with  just  what  we  know ! 
The  family  must  have  been  American — evidently 
exiled;  they  loved  this  country,  else  why  would  the 
mother  have  made  the  brother  promise  to  come  back  ? 
I  hope  sometime  we  will  know  more  about  them !  " 

"  Capt.  Allan  has  promised  to  look  them  up  as 
soon  as  he  can !  " 

"  Captain  Allan "  Penelope  breathed,  her 

face  flaming,  then  turning  white.  When  her  brother 
had  told  her  Renee's  story,  so  intent  had  she  been 
upon  the  tragedy  of  little  Renee  and  the  poor  Emile 
that  she  had  not  heeded  the  name  of  the  American 
officer. 

"  Can  it  be  the  same?  "  she  thought  now,  a  wild 
fluttering  at  her  heart.  Then  she  sternly  admonished 
herself.  f  "  Of  course  not !  Don't  be  silly !  There 
are  hundreds  of  Allans  and  I  don't  even  know  that 
he  joined  the  army !  " 

She  said  aloud,  very  calmly :  "  Love  has  given 
to  Renee  what  money  couldn't — she  has  been  well 
educated,  I  believe!  Her  mother  taught  her,  she 
says,  and  after  her  mother's  death  she  went  to  a 


46  LARKSPUR 

communal  school  near  St  Cloud.  She  will  help 
our  Pat  a  great  deal !  " 

"  Yes,  Pm  very  glad  we  have  her  with  us !  And 
now,  Pen,  I'll  put  you  in  command — head  gardener, 
or  whatever  you  want  to  call  yourself !  Raise  your 
larkspur — only  let  a  mere  father  be  of  what  help 
he  can!  Things  are  pressing  pretty  hard  at  the 
Works — I  can't  help  but  fear  that  the  winter  may 
bring  serious  problems  of  unemployment  and  we 
must  be  ready  to  solve  them !  A  few  weeks  will  see 
the  end  of  this  war — it  is  in  sight  now !  By  the  way, 
we  are  just  completing  the  formula  for  a  new  explo- 
sive— more  powerful  than  any  the  world  has  ever 
known!  If  the  enemy  knew  it  the  war  would  end 
to-morrow ! " 

Penelope  shuddered.    "  Why  do  we  need  it?  " 

"  My  dear,  that  little  formula  alone,  scrap  of 
paper  as  it  is,  will  be  a  safeguard  against  future 
wars!  The  government  is  sending  on  experts  to 
go  over  the  experiments  and  the  formulas/  And,  if 
they  are  satisfied,  it  will  be  my  gift — the  gift  of  my 
men — to  our  country !  " 

Penelope  listened  with  divided  attention,  her 
mind  not  so  much  upon  the  wonders  of  shot  and 
shell  as  upon  the  problems  of  the  two  little  girls 
upstairs.  She  started  into  the  crackling  flames. 


GARDENS  47 

"  Do  you  think  Miss  Pat  will  fall  into  your  plans, 
sister?  Remember  she  is  sadly  spoiled!  " 

Pen  laughed.  "  She'll  never  know  we're  making 
plans — wait  and  see !  The  first  thing  we  must  do  is 
to  make  Renee  feel  that  this  is  home  and  then — well, 
we  must  fill  their  days  with  sunshine — flowers  and 
children  grow  better  with  that,  you  know!  And 
I  promise  you,  Thomas,  that  after  a  few  months — if 
I'm  let  alone  that  long — you'll  agree  that  my  hobbies 
are  commonsense  things  after  all !  " 

"  You're  generally  right,  sister — I've  found  that 
out  from  long,  sad  experience !  Grow  your  larkspur 
and  I'll  help !  And  now  I  move  that  we  call  the  plot 
finished  and  go  to  bed — you've  worn  me  out!  " 

With  two  fingers  he  tipped  her  face  toward  him 
and  kissed  her  good-night.  Each  was  very  fond  of 
the  other — it  was  this  affection  that  bound  Penelope's 
heart  so  closely  to  her  brother's  children. 

Long  after  he  had  gone  she  sat  alone  before 
the  fire,  her  elbows  on  her  knees,  her  chin  dropped 
into  the  palms  of  her  hands.  And  as  she  mused 
over  her  plans,  between  her  and  the  flames  danced 
pictures  of  what  she  would  like  to  do  to  help  Pat,  and 
now  Renee,  grow  into  "  hardy  blossoms,  blooming 
year  after  year,  keeping  the  garden  lovely  and  the 
world  richer  for  their  beauty !  " 


CHAPTER  V 

FIRST   AID 

RENEE  wakened  to  find  the  sun  streaming 
through  the  pink-flowered  curtains  and  Patricia  sit- 
ting bolt  upright  in  bed,  staring  at  her.  She  had 
been  dreaming  of  Susette  and  Gabriel;  she  had  to 
rub  her  eyes  once  or  twice  before  she  could  remem- 
ber that  this  was  America  and  her  new  home ! 

"I  thought  you'd  never  wake  up!  I  was  just 
sitting  here  thinking  how  nice  it  is  to  have  you  here. 
Miss  Prindle  would  never  let  any  of  us  have  a  room- 
mate. Let's  dress  fast — there's  so  much  I  want  to 
show  you !  I'll  ring  for  Maggie." 

As  she  spoke  Patricia  sprang  from  her  bed  and 
ran  barefooted  across  the  floor  to  the  bell.  With  the 
sunshine  and  Pat's  enthusiasm,  the  little  homesick 
feeling  that  had  begun  to  ache  its  way  into  Renee's 
heart  disappeared  in  an  instant. 

Aunt  Pen  answered  the  bell  instead  of  Maggie. 

"  Lazy  girlies !  "  she  cried  cheerily.  "  I  have  been 
waiting  an  hour  to  eat  breakfast  with  you !  Melodia 
has  a  touch  of  her  "  rheumtics  "  and  I've  told  Mag- 
gie that  she  may  stay  downstairs  and  help  her.  You 
48 


FIRST  AID  49 

and  Renee  can  put  away  your  things  and  make  your 
beds."  She  was  throwing  back  the  bedclothes  as  she 
spoke  and  did  not  notice  the  surprise  that  flashed 
across  Pat's  face.  Pat  did  not  guess  that  this  was 
one  of  Aunt  Pen's  "plans"  because  she  did  not 
know,  yet,  that  Aunt  Pen  was  "  planning  " ;  she  had 
never  made  a  bed  in  her  life,  nor  had  she  ever  had 
to  hang  away  her  clothes !  But  already  Renee  was 
neatly  tucking  into  a  corner  of  the  wardrobe  her 
warm,  comfy  slippers  and  was  hanging  her  night- 
gown upon  a  hook,  so,  although  Patricia  had  opened 
her  lips  to  utter  a  protest,  she  closed  them,  suddenly 
ashamed. 

Over  their  breakfast  Aunt  Pen  and  Pat  made  the 
plans  for  the  day.  It  must  be  like  a  holiday  to  cele- 
brate Renee's  coming!  She  must  be  taken  about  the 
city  and  shown  every  spot  of  interest. 

"  It  will  seem  stupid  to  you  after  Paris,"  declared 
Pat. 

Renee  smiled.  "  Oh,  it  couldn't !  Paris  is  beau- 
tiful but — this  is  America!  Always  my  mother  told 
us  stories  of  America.  She  loved  it  and  she  wanted 
us  to  love  it,  too!  She  used  to  say  that  America 
was  like  a  splendid,  growing  boy !  I  think  she  meant 
that  everything  here  is  young  and  over  there  in 
France  it  is  so  old !  But  I  love  France !  "  The 


50  LARKSPUR 

child's  eyes  grew  dark  with  feeling.  "  Only  I  feel 
so  sorry  for  France!  She's  like  poor  Susette  and 
her  flowers ! " 

"  It's  Susette's  cheery,  brave  soul  that  you  love, 
my  dear — as  we  love  the  cheery,  brave  soul  of 
France,"  finished  Aunt  Pen. 

"  Well,  maybe  France  has  a  soul  but  does  she 
have  pancakes  like  these  ?  "  put  in  Pat,  for  she  felt 
that  Renee  and  Aunt  Pen  were  growing  far  too 
serious  for  such  a  glorious  morning. 

The  day  was  full  of  interest  for  them  both ;  for 
Patricia,  because  she  suddenly  found  a  new  pride  in 
showing  to  her  little  guest  the  various  things  in  her 
home  city  of  which  she  was  justly  proud.  Then 
Aunt  Pen  gave  bits  of  historical  information  that 
added  to  everything  they  saw.  Pat  had  not  known 
that  over  the  stretch  of  pretty  park  near  her  home 
the  early  settlers  had  once  fought  with  the  Indians ; 
that  the  huge  boulder  in  the  park,  shadowed  by  old 
elms,  marked  the  grave  where  some  unknown  sol- 
diers, who  had  given  their  lives  in  the  war  of  1812, 
were  buried.  Aunt  Pen  also  pointed  out  the  street, 
thronged  now  with  trucks,  wagons  and  street-cars, 
that  had  once  been  the  trail  through  the  forest  over 
which,  when  the  Indians  had  burned  the  village, 
Patricia's  great-great  grandmother  had  escaped,  hid- 


FIRST  AID  5I 

den  under  sacking  and  straw  in  the  back  of  the  old 
farm  wagon,  drawn  by  oxen. 

"Oh,  how  thrilling!"  cried  Pat  with  a  little 
shiver  of  delight.  "  What  fun  it  would  be  to  have  to 
escape  now!  Only  we'd  just  go  in  this  car  with 
Watkins  driving  about  fifty  miles  an  hour!  " 

Later  in  the  day  Patricia  begged  that  she  might 
take  Renee  again  along  the  river  road,  past  the  old 
fort  that  had  once  leveled  its  wooden  cannon  toward 
the  shore  of  Canada,  past  the  huge  factories  with 
their  countless  chimneys  belching  forth  flame  and 
smoke.  Aunt  Pen  had  let  them  go  alone  and  the 
ride  had  been  one  of  endless  interest.  They  were 
returning  swiftly  along  the  maple-shaded  street  that 
led  toward  home  when  the  car  swerved  sideways, 
Watkins  gave  a  quick  laugh,  and  the  air  was  pierced 
by  the  sharp  cry  of  a  dog  in  pain. 

"  Watkins — it  was  a  dog !  "  cried  Patricia. 

"  I  know  it.    He'll  be  more  careful  next  time !  " 

Renee  had  covered  her  eyes.  Pat  sprang  from 
her  seat  and  leaned  toward  the  chauffeur. 

"Stop!"  she  cried  so  commandingly  that  he 
ground  on  the  brake.  "  I  think  you're — you're  awful 
to  go  on  and  leave  the  poor  dog !  "  Tears  threatened 
her  voice.  She  opened  the  door  and  sprang  out, 
followed  by  Renee. 


52  LARKSPUR 

But  another  little  girl  had  gone  to  the  dog's 
rescue.  Sheila  Quinn,  walking  homeward  from 
school,  had  seen  the  accident.  She  had  run  out  into 
the  street  and  had  gathered  the  dog  into  her  arms. 
When  Pat  and  Renee  had  reached  the  spot  she  had 
laid  Mr.  Dog  upon  the  grass  and  was  examining  him. 

"  Is  he  dead?  "  cried  Pat  and  Renee  in  one  voice. 

"  Oh,  no !  See  him  try  to  lick  my  hand !  He 
knows  we  want  to  help  him !  I  guess  he's  more  scared 
than  hurt !  Here,  it  is  his  leg.  See,  it  is  broken." 

"How  can  you  tell?"  asked  Pat,  filled  with 
admiration  at  the  quick  careful  way  Sheila  had 
examined  their  patient 

"Run  your  hand  gently  over  his  body;  see,  it 
doesn't  hurt  him !  But  look  at  his  leg — how  it  hangs ! 
And  watch  him,  he'll  wince  if  I  just  move  as  though 
to  touch  it!  We  won't  hurt  you,  doggie  dear,  just 
keep  quiet  and  we'll  fix  you  up  all  nice." 

"  What  will  we  do  ?  "  asked  Pat  anxiously. 

"  We  must  put  it  in  a  splint  and  bandage  it," 
promptly  answered  Sheila,  looking  around  her  as 
though  to  find  the  necessary  things. 

"  I  know — I  know !  There's  the  white  stuff  Aunt 
Pen  got  at  the  Red  Cross,  we  can  use  that!  She 
forgot  it — it's  in  the  car." 


FIRST  AID  53 

"  That  will  be  just  the  thing !  " 

"  Get  it,  Renee !  And  here  are  some  sticks — 
won't  they  do  for  splints  ?  "  asked  Patricia  eagerly. 

"  It  ought  to  be  something  firmer,  at  least  until 
the  bone  is  set."  Sheila  was  straightening  out  the 
poor  little  leg  with  so  gentle  a  touch  that  the  dog 
only  whimpered.  "  If  you'd  let  me  use  your  scarf 
we  could  make  a  sort  of  pillow " 

For  answer  Pat  snatched  the  woolen  scarf  from 
her  shoulders.  Sheila,  rolled  it  tightly  into  a  firm 
pillow.  Renee  had  returned  with  Aunt  Pen's  pack- 
age and  she  and  Patricia  commenced  tearing  it  into 
strips.  Their  fingers,  eager  though  they  were,  made 
awkward  work  of  it 

"  Let  me  do  it !  You  hold  his  leg,"  exclaimed 
Sheila.  She  tore  off  strips  two  inches  wide.  Then 
she  neatly  covered  the  woolen  scarf  with  a  wider 
piece.  Renee  and  Pat,  deeply  concerned,  leaned  over 
the  dog  and  watched.  Pat  held  the  injured  leg  and 
Renee  gently  stroked  the  dog's  head. 

"  Isn't  he  a  darling?  "  cried  Pat.  "  I  just  hate 
Watkins  for  hurting  him !  " 

"  It  wasn't  Watkin's  fault — he  might  have  saved 
the  dog  and  had  a  serious  accident  and  hurt — you 
girls!  The  dog  ran  out  in  front  of  the  car !  This 
will  be  a  lesson  to  him." 


54  LARKSPUR 

The  splint  ready  Sheila  gently  placed  it  under  the 
dog's  leg  and  instructed  Pat  how  to  hold  it  in  place. 
She  wound  the  bandage  around  and  around,  careful 
to  avoid  the  break,  but  firmly,  so  as  to  hold  the  splint 
securely  in  place.  Then  she  straightened  up  from 
her  kneeling  position  with  a  long  breath. 

"  There,  now — that  will  do  nicely,  until  someone 
can  set  it !  " 

"  I  think  you're  wonderful — the  way  you  can 
do  things!  "  cried  Pat,  always  generous  in  her  praise. 
"  Where  did  you  ever  learn?  And  oh,  I  forgot,  we 
don't  know  your  name  and  we'd  like  to " 

The  three  girls,  grouped  about  the  injured  dog 
who  lay  very  contentedly  with  his  head  pillowed  on 
Renee's  lap,  presented  striking  contrasts.  Pat,  like 
a  picture  in  a  fashion  book  in  her  trim  green  broad- 
cloth coat  and  turban  set  jauntily  on  her  smooth  dark 
hair,  had  a  frankness  and  sunniness  in  her  face  that 
was  invariably  winning  despite  a  slight  imperious- 
ness  of  manner;  Renee,  small  for  her  thirteen  years, 
her  delicate  face,  framed  in  golden  curls,  touched 
by  the  shadow  of  the  sorrows  she  had  known,  seemed 
like  a  fragile  flower.  And  Sheila  Quinn,  a  head  taller 
than  even  Pat,  her  black  hair  neatly  braided  in  two 
tight  pigtails  reaching  almost  to  her  waist,  her  face 
and  form  showing  the  vigor  gained  from  healthy 


FIRST  AID  55 

exercise  and  simple  living,  had  something  both  of 
Patricia's  winsomeness,  Renee's  quiet  poise  and  a 
happy  contentment  all  of  her  own  which  came  from 
the  Quinn  philosophy  of  "  just  make  the  best  of 
everything,  sweetness,  there's  sure  to  be  some  sun- 
shine somewhere ! " 

Sheila  laughed.  "  Which  question  shall  I  answer 
first?  I'm  Sheila  Quinn!  I  know  you  are  Patricia 

Everett,  but "  she  hesitated  as  she  glanced  toward 

Renee.  Patricia  added : 

"  This  is  Renee  LaDue  who  has  come  way  from 
France  to  live  with  us !  " 

"  Oh,  how  nice!  "  Sheila  glanced  with  friendly 
curiosity  up  and  down  the  little  figure.  "  And  I 
learned  bandaging  and  all  that  at  the  scout  meet- 
ings. I  was  highest  in  my  first-aid  test,"  she  con- 
cluded proudly. 

"  Scouts "  queried  Pat 

"  Girl  Scouts,"  explained  Sheila.  "  I  belong  to 
Troop  Six  and  it's  the  best  troop  in  the  city !  " 

"  Les  Eclaireuses !  "  cried  Renee.  "  There  were 
some  in  the  School  of  St.  Cloud.  I  loved  them — they 
used  to  bring  the  soldier's  coats  and  socks  to  Susette 
for  us  to  mend !  They  were  like  little  girl  soldiers." 

Again  Patricia  felt  small  and  insignificant  before 
the  greater  experience  of  Renee  and  now,  Sheila! 


56  LARKSPUR 

But  her  nature  was  too  sunny  to  show  the  moment's 
sting  of  pride.  Besides,  she  was  immensely  curious. 

"  What  do  you  have  to  do  to  be  a  Girl  Scout?  " 

"  Why,  just  want  to  join!  I  mean  just  want  to 
be  all  that  a  scout  must  be  and  then  put  in  your 
name.  I  wish  you'd  join  Troop  Six — it's  the  best 
and  everyone  just  loves  Captain  Ricky — she's  the 
scout  captain." 

"  What  do  you  have  to  want  to  want  to  be  a 
scout?  "  asked  Pat. 

Sheila  squared  her  shoulders.  "  This  is  what 
you  have  to  want,"  and  she  repeated  with  dignity, 
for  she  was  leader  of  her  patrol  and  felt  the  respon- 
sibility of  her  position,  "  to  do  my  duty  to  God  and 
my  country,  to  help  other  people  at  all  times,  to 
obey  the  scout  law.  There  are  lots  of  laws  but  they're 
the  kind  you  just  like  to  obey.  Captain  Ricky  says 
the  real  meaning  of  scouting  for  girls  like  us  is  ser- 
vice to  God  and  our  country ;  that  it  helps  each  one 
of  us  to  build  strong  characters  that  anyone  can 
depend  upon!  And  when  girls  are  scouts  why,  we 
don't  stop  to  think  that  one,  maybe,  is  rich  and 
another  poor  and  one's  black  and  one's  white  or  one's 
a  Jew  and  one's  a — a  Baptist — we're  just  all  scouts 
and  loyal !  Oh,  I  love  it !  " 

"Renee,  let's  be  scouts!"  cried  Pat.     "Let's 


FIRST  AID  57 

tell  Daddy  we  want  to  join  Troop  Six — it's  the  best 
in  the  city !  " 

Mr.  Dog,  his  patience  exhausted,  had  commenced 
to  stir  restlessly  and  lick  his  bandaged  leg.  The 
three  girls  exclaimed  in  dismay : 

"  We've  forgotten  the  dog !  " 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  him?  " 

"  I'd  better  take  him  home.  I  am  sure  my  mother 
can  set  his  leg  and  then  we'll  put  it  in  a  stronger 
splint,"  said  Sheila. 

Pat  and  Renee  could  not  dispute  Sheila's  claim 
to  the  interesting  patient. 

"  Then  we'll  come  over  to-morrow  to  see  him. 
I  think  he's  a  nice  dog  because  he  looks  just  like 
Miss  Prindle's  General  who  has  all  kinds  of  prizes, 
only  dirty!"  Patricia  motioned  to  Watkins  who, 
resigned  to  waiting,  had  become  more  concerned  in 
the  afternoon  newspaper  than  in  the  fate  of  the  dog. 

He  looked  a  little  angry  now  when  Pat  explained 
that  they  intended  to  carry  the  dog  in  the  automobile 
to  the  Quinn  home,  but  there  was  something  in 
Pat's  face  that  stilled  the  protest  on  his  lips. 

Pat  exclaimed  with  delight  when  she  found  that 
Sheila  lived  in  the  old  brick  house  whose  windows 
were  in  sight  of  her  own.  With  Renee  and  now 
Sheila,  the  world  that  had  seemed  only  the  day 


$8  LARKSPUR 

before  to  be  so  lonely,  now  seemed  full  of  friends. 
Sheila  did  not  tell  Pat  that  she  had  often  watched  her 
come  and  go  from  the  house  that  was  so  like  a  palace 
compared  to  her  own.  Sheila  knew  that  there  had 
been  just  a  little  envy  in  her  heart  at  times  and  she 
was  ashamed  of  it.  For,  after  all,  not  for  worlds 
would  she  exchange  her  dearest  mother  and  the 
three  small  brothers  for  the  wealth  of  the  Everetts ! 

"  Let's  have  lots  of  good  times  together,"  Pat 
called  in  parting,  "  and  we'll  come  over  first  thing 
to-morrow  to  see  the  dog ! " 

So  much  had  Pat  and  Renee  to  tell  of  their  day 
that  Mr.  Everett  quite  forgot  an  after-dinner 
engagement  he  had  made  with  a  business  acquaint- 
ance. All  four  of  them,  Aunt  Pen  and  Daddy,  Pat 
and  Renee  sat  before  the  fire.  Pat,  with  a  diplomacy 
not  suspected  by  her  innocent  family,  led  up  very 
carefully  to  what  she  wanted  "  more  than  anything 
else  in  the  world !  "  That  was  always  the  way  she  put 
it.  She  used  the  very  words  now  as  she  told  of 
Troop  Six — the  best  in  the  whole  city! 

"  Bless  Pat ! "  cried  her  father,  using  Melodia's 
favorite  expression,  "I  can't  keep  up  with  you! 
Yesterday  it  was  one  thing  and  to-day  it's  another, 
and  it's  always  what  you  want  more  than  anything 
else  in  the  world !  " 


k  FIRST  AID  59 

"Yes,  Daddy— this  is!" 

"  A  Girl  Scout "  he  glanced  over  the  chil- 
dren's heads  at  Penelope  and  his  brows  lifted  as 
much  as  to  say,  "  Well,  this  is  your  garden — what 
have  you  to  say?  " 

Aunt  Pen  answered  his  look. 

"  Do  you  know,  Thomas,  I  think  it's  just  the 
thing!  It  will  bring  the  girls  in  touch  with  joys 
and  responsibilities  they've  not  known  before ! " 

"  It  makes  us  build  up — oh,  something  about 
character !  "  In  her  excitement  Pat  could  not  remem- 
ber Sheila's  grand  words.  "  Renee  says  that  in  Paris 
they  are  like  girl  soldiers.  And  Sheila  says  we'll 
love  the  girls  in  the  troop ;  there's  Keineth  Randolph 
and  Peggy  Lee  and  True  Scott  and  a  lot  of 
others " 

"  I  know  Mrs.  Lee,  and  if  Peggy  is  like  her 
mother  she  is  a  fine  girl,"  added  Aunt  Pen. 

"  Keineth  is  John  Randolph's  girl,"  put  in  Pat's 
father. 

"  Then  we  may?  "  Pat  asked  anxiously. 

"  You  may,"  laughingly  answered  Mr.  Everett 
and  Aunt  Pen  in  one  voice,  covering  their  ears  that 
they  might  not  be  deafened  by  Pat's  boisterous 
"hurrah!" 


6o  LARKSPUR 

Upstairs  Pat  chattered  on,  although  Renee's 
eyes  were  almost  shut  with  sleep.  They  opened  their 
beds  and  each  laid  out  her  nightgown  and  slippers. 

11  You  know  I'm  glad  Maggie's  downstairs  now 
— we  ought  to  take  care  of  things  ourselves;  we'll 
have  to,  if  we  make  good  scouts!  Oh,  good  gra- 
cious! "  Pat  whirled  a  stocking  in  midair.  "  We'll 
have  to  try  exams  and  I'm  always  scared  to  death. 
But  you'll  help  me,  won't  you,  Renee?  " 

And  little  Renee,  her  heart  overflowing  with 
gratitude,  glad  to  do  the  smallest  service  within  her 
power,  answered  heartily,  though  sleepily,  "  'Deed 
I  will!" 


THE  INJURED  UOG  SET  UP  A  VIGOROUS   BARKING  BY   WAY  OF  WELCOME 


CHAPTER  VI 

EAGLES  AND  GOLDEN  EAGLETS 

"  A  BUN  fell  on  my  kitten, 

She  died  where  she  was  sittin' " 

sang  Sheila,  holding  up  for  inspection  the  blouse 
she  had  just  finished  ironing. 

The  front  doorbell  rang,  its  rusty  tone  resound- 
ing through  the  house. 

"  Goodness  gracious,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Quinn, 
smoothing  out  her  apron.  Few  came  to  the  sombre 
front  door  of  the  old  house ;  somehow  instinct  seemed 
always  to  lead  visitors  along  the  flagged  walk  to  the 
door  leading  into  the  cheery  kitchen. 

Sheila,  flying  to  the  door,  had  guessed  in  an 
instant  who  the  callers  were !  She  led  Pat  and  Renee 
back  through  the  long  hall  and  the  injured  dog,  com- 
fortably established  in  a  basket  near  the  stove,  set  up 
a  vigorous  barking  by  way  of  welcome. 

"  He's  all  right,  or  will  be  as  soon  as  the  break 
mends,  mother  says !  This  is  my  mother,  Pat,"  and 
Patricia  turned  from  the  dog  to  Mrs.  Quinn,  who 
greeted  the  girls  with  her  cheery  smile. 

"  The  children  would  have  him  here  and  I  guess 

6l 


62  LARKSPUR 

the  poor  dog  is  glad  enough  to  find  a  home,"  she 
explained,  nodding  toward  the  basket  which  the 
younger  Quinns,  with  scraps  of  old  carpeting,  had 
made  most  comfortable. 

"  Mother  says  he's  an  Irish  terrier,  so  let's  call 
him  Paddy !  "  And  Paddy,  as  though  he  liked  and 
accepted  the  name,  barked  and  wagged  his  stump  of 
a  tail  and  tried  to  jump  out  of  his  basket. 

With  little  effort  to  conceal  their  curiosity 
Patricia  and  Renee  were  staring  about  them.  Patricia 
had  never  seen  a  kitchen  like  this  before !  She  could 
not  tell  just  what  made  it  so  different — it  might  be 
the  neat  rows  of  pretty  china  dishes  on  the  shelves 
of  the  open  cupboard,  or  the  shiny  tins  and  pots  and 
pans  in  the  stove  corner,  or  the  bright  rag  rugs  on 
the  spotless  floor,  or  the  gay  patterned  cloth  across 
the  table  at  the  window,  or  the  blooming  plants  on 
the  sills  framed  by  crisply  ruffled  muslin  curtains! 
And  Mrs.  Quinn,  a  pink  bow  at  her  neck  brighten- 
ing her  faded  dress  and  heightening  the  color  of  her 
thin  cheeks,  looked  as  though  she  belonged  there 
with  the  geraniums  and  the  bright  rugs  and  the  spot- 
less dishes!  Patricia  was  thinking  that  it  was  just 
the  sort  of  a  room  one  felt  like  staying  in — and  any- 
one could  feel  sure  that — if  there  was  any  sunshine 
anywhere — it  would  be  slanting  across  that  floor. 


EAGLES  AND  GOLDEN  EAGLETS    63 

Renee  was  standing  with  her  hands  quaintly 
clasped. 

"  It  is  like  home,"  she  cried.  She  caught  sight 
of  a  little  wooden  stool  and  exclaimed :  "  Oh — 
like  Susette's !  " 

Sheila  had  told  Mrs.  Quinn  that  Renee  had  come 
way  from  France.  The  motherly  woman  now  drew 
the  child  to  her  and  let  her  tell  of  Susette  and 
the  cheery  kitchen  at  St.  Cloud  so  that  the  tiny 
shadow  of  homesickness  might  pass  from  her  heart. 

Patricia  was  joyously  announcing  that  her  Daddy 
and  Aunt  Pen  had  said  they  might  join  Troop*  Six ! 

"  And  I  saw  Captain  Ricky  and  she  told  me  to 
bring  you  girls  to-day!  Scout  meeting  is  at  three 
o'clock  at  Lincoln  School,"  Sheila  added. 

"Renee — do  you  hear  that?  Goodness,  I'm 
scared !  What  do  we  have  to  do  first?  " 

"  Form  in  patrols  for  inspection.  I  hope  you  can 
come  into  the  Eagle  Patrol  with  Keineth  Randolph 
and  Peggy  Lee  and  myself !  " 

Patricia  had  innumerable  questions  to  ask.  She 
and  Renee  sat  upon  the  floor,  one  on  each  side  of 
Paddy's  basket  which  had  been  drawn  out  into  the 
middle  of  the  room.  Sheila  resumed  her  ironing, 
explaining  that  it  must  be  done  before  she  could  do 
anything  else.  Mrs.  Quinn  commenced  a  vigorous 


64  LARKSPUR 

beating  and  stirring  that  promised  goodies  of  some 
kind,  joining  now  and  then  in  the  merry  chatter. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  many  such  pleasant  hours 
in  the  kitchen  of  the  old  brick  house! 

As  the  girls  were  going  home  Patricia  said  sud- 
denly to  Renee,  speaking  out  of  a  moment  of  deep 
thought:  "  What  was  it  made  it  so  jolly — there?  I 
believe  it  was  the  piano !  Who'd  ever  think  of  having 
a  piano  in  the  kitchen  ?  " 

"  No !  "  declared  Renee.  "  It  was  the  rocking 
chair  and  the  piece-work  cushions  and  the  stool !  " 

At  the  scout  meeting  Renee,  unused  to  large 
groups  of  children,  felt  a  wave  of  shyness  grip  her. 
She  was  grateful  for  Pat's  vivacity — no  one  would 
notice  how  quiet  she  was!  At  first  there  seemed 
to  be  a  great  many  girls  and  as  though  they  were 
all  talking  at  once,  but  soon  she  made  out  through 
Sheila's  rather  offhand  introductions  that  the  girl 
with  the  nice  eyes  and  jolly  smile  was  Peggy  Lee,  that 
the  smaller  one  with  the  golden  hair  was  Keineth 
Randolph  and  that  these  two  with  the  three  girls 
standing  near  Pat  made  up  the  Eagle  patrol. 

Capt.  Ricky,  who  was  really  Miss  Fredericka 
Grimball,  only  no  one  ever  called  her  anything  but 
Capt.  Ricky,  greeted  warmly  the  new  recruits.  She 
was  a  tall  young  woman,  her  fine  face  made  beautiful 


EAGLES  AND  GOLDEN  EAGLETS    65 

by  beauty  of  character  rather  than  feature  and  with 
a  personality  that  won  her  girls'  liking  and  at  the 
same  time  their  respect. 

She  whispered  to  Sheila  that  she  would  place 
Pat  and  Renee  in  the  Eagle  Patrol !  A  shout  went 
up  in  answer  which  was  quieted  by  Capt.  Ricky's 
whistle  and  her  command  to  "  fall  in!  " 

Pat  felt  delightfully  like  a  soldier  as  she  drew 
up  her  slender  five  feet  of  body  between  Renee  and 
True  Scott.  But » she  was  an  absurdly  awkward 
soldier  as  she  obeyed  the  commands  and  her  pride 
met  a  sad  fall  when  upon  inspection  she  had  to  hold 
out  ink-stained  fingers! 

After  a  brief  drill  the  Captain  gave  the  command 
to  the  Color  Guard  to  form.  From  the  ranks  three 
girls  stepped  forward  and  with  military  precision 
brought  from  its  place  at  one  end  of  the  room  the 
Troop  flag.  Every  scout's  hand  went  instantly  to 
the  forehead  in  salute!  Together  they  repeated: 
"  I  pledge  allegiance  to  my  flag  and  to  the  country 

for  which  it  stands; 

One  nation  indivisible,  with  liberty  and  justice 
for  all!" 

Renee  could  not  follow  their  words,  but  in  a  clear, 
sweet  voice  she  sang  with  them  the  "  Star  Spangled 
Banner,"  and  as  the  words  rang  out,  "  Then  conquer 
5 


66  LARKSPUR 

we  must  when  our  cause  it  is  just,"  there  was  an 
added  brightness  in  her  eyes,  for  she  had  come  closer 
than  the  others  to  "  war's  desolation." 

In  Sheila's  kitchen  the  girls  had  studied  the  scout 
laws;  they  repeated  them  now,  carefully.  To  Pat, 
whose  life  so  far  had  had  few  "  laws  "  or  "  rules  " 
of  any  kind,  they  seemed  to  mean  more,  now,  as  she 
repeated  them  in  chorus,  and  she  wondered  deep 
within  her  heart  if  she  could  really  keep  them  all ! 
But  just  at  that  moment  she  caught  a  glance  and  a 
smile  from  Capt.  Ricky  that  put  courage  in  her  heart 
where  the  faintness  had  been!  It  would  be  well 
worth  trying! 

A  business  meeting  followed.  The  business  on 
hand  to  be  discussed  ranged  in  character  from  reports 
on  "  war  savings,"  "  thrift  kitchen  work,"  "  city 
beautiful  plans,"  a  "  back-to-school "  campaign, 
knitting  and  sewing,  to  a  noisy  argument  over  a 
coming  hike.  The  girls  all  tried  to  talk  at  once,  and 
but  for  Capt.  Ricky's  whistle  might  have  succeeded ; 
nevertheless,  out  of  the  jumble  of  words  Pat  and 
Renee  caught  the  impression  that  these  merry  girls 
were  really  doing  a  great  deal  of  earnest  work  as 
well  as  play !  In  these  khaki  clad  youngsters  strong 
characters  were  in  the  building,  "  that  anyone  could 
depend  upon  "  as  Sheila  had  put  it ! 


EAGLES  AND  GOLDEN  EAGLETS    67 

"  Sheila,  I  know  something  un-us-u-al  is  going 
to  happen ! "  whispered  Peggy  Lee,  leaning  across 
Pat  and  Renee.  The  Eagle  patrol  had  grouped 
together,  sitting  cross-legged  on  the  floor.  "  When 
Capt  Ricky  looks  like  that  she's  got  some  grand 
surprise " 

"Maybe  it's  an  overnight  hike!  We  take  our 
ponchos  and  blankets  and  dog-tents  and  sleep 
outdoors !  " 

"It's  too  cold  for  that  now,  Ken !  Perhaps  it's  a 
real  party  like  the  one  we  had  last  spring !  " 

But  none  of  them  had  guessed  right!  Capt 
Ricky  had  a  surprise  for  them  but  it  was  even  better 
than  the  overnight  hike  or  the  "  real  party! " 

When  the  business  of  the  meeting  was  over  she 
stepped  before  them,  her  hands  clasped  behind  her 
back  in  a  most  mysterious  manner.  She  began : 

"  Scouts,  I  have  been  given  a  great  privilege — 
and  you  shall  all  share  it  with  me!  An  honor  has 
come  to  Troop  Six !  "  She  had  to  wait,  then,  for  a 
moment;  loud  cheers  interrupted  her!  She  did  not 
seem  in  the  least  disturbed.  "  But  like  all  the  honors 
that  have  come  to  Troop  Six  this  has  been  won 
through  merit,  earnest  effort  and  hard  work.  We 
may  well  be  proud  of  her  who  has  brought  us  this 
honor ;  we  can  all  follow  her  example  and  seek  the 


68  LARKSPUR 

standard  she  has  attained!  We  can  hail  her  as  a 
leader  among  us!  Sheila  Quinn,  please  step 
forward !  " 

A  ripple  of  "  oh-h-h "  ran  through  the  girls ! 
Sheila's  face  turned  crimson.  Peggy  and  Keineth 
excitedly  pushed  her  forward. 

Capt.  Ricky's  left  hand  clasped  Sheila's  and  with 
her  right  she  held  up  a  glittering  badge. 

"  Sheila,  it  is  my  happy  privilegte,  upon  the 
recommendation  of  the  National  Commissioner,  to 
award  to  you  the  Golden  Eaglet,  the  highest  honor 
that  can  be  won  by  a  Girl  Scout! " 

A  din  of  cheering  drowned  out  anything  more 
that  Capt.  Ricky  might  have  wanted  to  say.  Peggy 
and  True  Scott  were  capering  about  like  jumping- 
jacks.  There  were  shouts  of  "  What's  the  matter 
with  Sheila!  She's  all  right,"  "Three  cheers  for 
Troop  Six,"  "  Now  a  tiger  for  the  Eagle  Patrol," 
and  through  it  all  Capt.  Ricky  stood  smiling,  clasping 
Sheila's  hand,  and  Sheila,  the  color  of  a  red  poppy, 
looked  wildly  about  as  though  seeking  some  corner 
that  might  swallow  her  up. 

Someone  called  "  speech " ;  Peggy  took  it  up, 
then  it  came  from  every  corner !  Capt.  Ricky  nodded 
to  Sheila.  Sheila  swallowed  hard  to  clear  her  voice 
of  the  tight  band  that  seemed  to  choke  it. 


EAGLES  AND  GOLDEN  EAGLETS    69 

"  I'm  awfully  glad  I  won — just  for  the  sake  of 
the  Troop!  It  was  hard  work  at  first  but  after- 
wards one  thing  helped  another.  I  hope  you'll  all  be 
Golden  Eaglets  and  I'll  help  anyone  that  wants  to 
work  for  it  and — Oh,  I  can't  say  another  word ! " 
and  poor  Sheila  made  a  dash  for  the  corner  where 
the  Eagle  patrol  awaited  her  with  eager  arms. 

There  were  "  eats,"  then,  for  it  was  of  course 
a  great  occasion,  and  Peggy  insisted  that  Sheila  must 
eat  six  of  the  raisin  cookies  that  were  served.  Pat, 
feeling  now  as  though  she  had  always  belonged  to 
Troop  Six,  asked,  humbly,  "if  plain  Eagles  might 
not  have  just  five?  "  and  helped  herself  as  she  spoke! 

The  girls  walked  home  together,  a  merry  troop! 
Peggy  Lee  and  Keineth  Randolph  turned  after  a 
few  blocks;  as  Pat,  Renee  and  Sheila  went  on  Pat 
slipped  her  hand  through  Sheila's  arm. 

She  had  been  deeply  impressed  by  Sheila's  mod- 
esty of  manner.  She  was  certain  if  she  had  been 
awarded  such  high  honor  she  would  have  strutted 
like  a  peacock ! 

"  Doesn't  it  feel  grand  to  be  a  Golden  Eaglet?  " 
she  asked  Sheila  solemnly. 

Sheila  hesitated.  "  I — don't — know !  It  makes 
me  sort  of — scared!  I  must  live  up  to  it,  you  see, 
and  sometimes — it's  awfully  hard !  " 


70  LARKSPUR 

For  a  few  paces  the  girls  walked  along  in  silence. 
Serious  thoughts  had  crossed  each  mind.  An  honor 
won  was  not  enough — it  must  be  lived  up  to ! 

Pat,  who  could  not  be  still  for  very  long,  was  the 
first  to  break  the  silence.  She  gave  a  merry  chuckle. 

"  Well,  I  guess  Pat  Everett  has  a  long  way  to 
go  before  she  can  be  a  Golden  Eaglet!  I've  got  to 
learn  to  be  just  a  good  scout  first  and  you  can  believe 
that  the  next  time  I  go  to  a  scout  meeting — I'll  wash 
my  hands  before  I  go!  " 


CHAPTER  VII 

AUNT  PEN  PLANS 

THE  Everett  family  was  holding  a  "  pow-wow." 
That  was  what  Pat  called  the  after-dinner  hour 
when  they  gathered  about  the  library  fire.  Renee 
thought  it  quite  the  jolliest  time  of  the  day;  almost 
always  Mr.  Everett  had  so  many  funny  or  exciting 
things  to  tell  and  he  and  Aunt  Pen  never  shut  the 
girls  out  of  their  conversation ;  when  sometimes  their 
talk  became  serious  and  of  problems  which  the  girls 
could  not  understand,  then  either  Mr.  Everett  or 
Aunt  Pen  carefully  explained.  And  in  turn  Aunt 
Pen  and  Pat's  father  would  listen  with  deep  interest 
to  the  girls'  account  of  their  day. 

"  It's  not  nearly  as  jolly  when  Celia's  home,"  Pat 
had  confided  to  Renee,  "  'cause  she  always  talks 
and  won't  pay  any  attention  to  me ! "  Although 
Aunt  Pen,  overhearing  her,  had  laughed  and  said, 
with  a  world  of  meaning :  "  Poor  chatterbox !  " 

Letters  had  come  from  the  south  that  day.  They 
read  them  over  now  as  they  sat  in  the  "  pow-wow." 
In  her  letter  to  Pat's  father  Mrs.  Everett  had  told 
him  how  glad  she  was  they  had  taken  Renee  and 

71 


72  LARKSPUR 

how  eagerly  she  looked  forward  to  knowing  the  little 
girl!    As    Mr.    Everett    read    this    Pat    squeezed 
Renee's  hand  and  Aunt  Pen  patted  the  fair  head. 
To  Pat  her  mother  had  enclosed  a  little  note. 

*  *  *  Be  a  dear  good  child  and  help  your  Aunt  Pen  by  doing 
whatever  she  wishes  you  to  do.    Keep  your  father  from  being 
lonely  without  us,  and  remember  that  sometimes  he  is  very  tired 
when  he  conies  home  at  night  and  likes  to  have  some  one  read 
to  him !  And  be  very  considerate  of  the  little  stranger  you  have 
taken  into  your  circle.     *    *    * 

"  Mother  needn't  worry !  I'll  just  like  to  do  all 
of  those  three  things,  you'll  see!  "  cried  Pat,  folding 
her  precious  note  and  tucking  it  away  in  her  pocket. 

But  Aunt  Pen's  letter  was  the  one  that  claimed 
their  deep  attention ! 

*  *    *    If  everything  goes  along  all  right  at  home — and 
I  know  it  will  with  you  there,  dear  Pen — we  may  stay  until 
spring.     We  are  very  comfortable,  the  hotel  is  quiet  and  the 
food  is  good.     Celia  seems  brighter  and  is  quite  contented. 
Chauncey  is  out  of  danger,  too,  and  in  a  short  time  we  may 
go  to  the  hospital  and  see  him.    *    *    *    It  was  very  hard  for 
me  to  make  up  my  mind  to  leave  home  just  now,  but  I  could 
not  hesitate  when  I  knew  that  it  was  for  Celia's  good.     And 
you,   dear  girl,   made  it  easier   for  me  by  taking  my  place. 
*    *    *    I  am  worried  about  Pat's  school.    I  really  don't  think 
she  ought  to  go  back  to  Miss  Prindle's  at  all — there  is  so  much 
sickness  everywhere,   and   I   simply  cannot   stand   any  more 
worry.     I  think  I'd  rather  she  stayed  right  at  home.     But  she 
ought  to  have  some  work — dear  Pen,  please  plan  this  out  for 
me !    I  feel  so  helpless  way  down  here !     I  will  leave  it  all  to 
you,  knowing  that  whatever  you  do  will  be  for  Pat's  good. 


AUNT  PEN  PLANS  73 

"Read  that  last  again,"  broke  in  Pat's  father 
with  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes.  Pat  was  looking  rather 
anxiously  at  Aunt  Pen. 

Penelope  read  it  again  and  then  folded  the  letter. 

"  It's  just  exactly  what  I  wanted  Caroline  to 
say!" 

"  But,  Daddy,  I  don't  care — now — about  not 
going  back  to  Miss  Prindle's,  but  I'd  hate  a  tutor 
or  anything  like  that !  " 

"  All  play  and  no  work " 

"  But  I  do  work!  Ask  Aunt  Pen  if  I  haven't 
made  my  bed  every  morning!  " 

"  I  have  some  plans,"  Aunt  Pen  began  slowly, 
"  the  girls  ought  to  have  some  studies  and " 

"  And  a  tutor,  Aunt  Pen?  "  Aunt  Pen  nodded. 
"  Not  that  awful  Miss  Gray — please,  Aunt  Pen!  " 

"  No,  not  Miss  Gray !  I  think  I  know  someone 
whom  you'll  like — or  at  least  you  are  very  fond  of 
her  now ! " 

Amused  at  the  real  distress  in  Pat's  face  her 
father  broke  in: 

"  Aunt  Pen  says  she  has  some  plans !  Her  plans 
are  generally  very  interesting/'  with  a  sidelong 
glance  at  his  sister,  "  though  I  admit  that  sometimes 
she  is  very  heartless!  Let' shear  them!  Then  if  you 
don't  like  them,  why " 


74  LARKSPUR 

"  Well,  then,"  cried  Pat  resignedly,  "  let's  hear 
them!" 

Renee  was  listening  with  deep  interest.  She  had 
never  gone  to  school  except  for  the  three  years  fol- 
lowing her  mother's  death  when  she  had  on  pleasant 
days  gone  to  the  communal  school  at  St.  Cloud. 
Before  that  her  mother  had  taught  her;  she  had 
stored  away,  too,  in  her  mind  valuable  knowledge 
from  the  books  which  had  been  always  about  her. 
Now  the  thought  of  going  to  an  American  school 
filled  her  with  terror ! 

Aunt  Pen  assumed  a  comically  serious  air.  "  I 
will  tell  the  girls  my  plans  and  they  shall  decide,  for 
unless  they  go  into  the  work  with  all  their  hearts  it 
will  do  them  little  good!  First,  each  day  must  be 
divided  into  periods,  the  first  to  begin  at  eight  o'clock. 
Between  eight  and  nine  there  will  be  instruction  in 
household  arts  " — she  could  not  resist  a  sly  wink  at 
Pat's  father — "  that  includes  making  beds  without 
wrinkles  and  tidying  the  corners;  of  the  room,  espe- 
cially behind  the  wardrobe  where  things  collect — " 

"  Aunt  Pen,  you  are  fust  joking !  " 

"  No,  my  dear !  I  never  was  more  serious  in  my 
life!  To  my  thinking  accuracy  in  such  work  is  as 
important  as  accuracy  in  algebra  or  geometry !  And 
I  am  sure  you  did  not  get  it  at  Miss  Prindle's !  " 


AUNT  PEN  PLANS  75 

"  What  then?  "  cried  Pat  and  her  father. 

"  An  hour  of  out-of-door  exercise  in  the  morn- 
ing and  one  in  the  afternoon,  or  at  least  two  hours 
out-of-doors  each  day,  regardless  of  weather!" 

"  Oh,  I  like  that !  "  interrupted  Pat. 

Aunt  Pen  continued  severely :  "  And  that  does 
not  mean  riding  with  Watkins!  That  leaves  six 
hours  for  study,  classes  and  indoor  recreation." 

"Study  what?"  demanded  Pat,  still  suspicious 
that  there  must  be  something  unpleasant  somewhere. 

"  Well,  different  things  for  each  of  you.  Besides 
the  classes  in  bed-making,  sweeping  and  dusting, 
cooking  and  home-nursing,  I  think  you  should  study 
Algebra  and  spelling,  Renee  may  study  English  and 
she  will  help  you  with  your  French,  and  you  will 
both  have  Latin.  Then  in  the  evening  you  may  read 
American  history  from  books  selected  by  your 
tutor " 

"  Did  ever  anyone  hear  of  a. school  like  that?  " 
cried  Pat,  clapping  her  hands.  "  I  love  it,  Aunt  Pen, 

and  I'll  work  hard— honest !  Oh "  her  face  fell. 

"  Who  will  be  the  tutor  ?" 

"  Where  can  you  find  anyone  who  can  make  bread 
and  teach  Latin  infinitives?  "  put  in  Mr.  Everett 
mischievously. 


76  LARKSPUR 

"  Well,"  Aunt  Pen  tried  to  look  modest,  "  how 
would  I  do?  " 

"You!"  cried  Pat  incredulously,  certain  now 
that  the  whole  plan  was  only  a  joke.  "  You — really, 
truly?" 

"  Really,  truly,  my  dear !  I  will  dearly  love  to 
teach  you  and  help  you  both !  " 

Pat  threw  both  arms  about  her  neck  in  a  strang- 
ling hug.  "  Oh,  Aunt  Pen,  it  will  be  such  fun  and 
I'll  really,  truly  try  to  learn  Latin  and  I  won't  stuff 
things  behind  the  wardrobe  any  more — that  was  my 
half  of  the  room,  you  know!  And  maybe,  with 
Renee  to  help  me,  I  can  soon  speak  French  as  well 
as  Celia!" 

"  And  I'll  offer  a  prize  for  the  best  loaf  of  bread 
that  one  of  my  girls  makes !  "  added  Mr.  Everett. 

"  No,  there  shall  be  no  prizes  in  this  school!  If 
one  of  the  girls  can  do  something  better  than  the 
other  then  she  is  going  to  help  the  other!  More 
than  all  the  French  and  Latin  in  the  world  I  want 
my  pupils  to  learn  unselfishness !  And  we  will  keep 
reports  and  the  reward  will  come  when  Pat  and 
Renee  show  these  reports  to  Pat's  mother." 

"  What  do  you  think  about  it,  Mouse?  "  That 
was  the  name  Mr.  Everett  had  given  Renee.  Her 
eyes  were  shining  with  delight. 


AUNT  PEN  PLANS  77 

"  Oh,  I  will  like  it  very  much!  And  there  is  so 
much  I  want  to  learn  if  I  am  to  live  in  America  and 
I  will  try  so  hard !  I  was  afraid  to  go  to  school ! " 
she  confessed. 

"  It  is  very  natural  that  you  should  have  dreaded 
it,  my  dear!  After  a  little  that  shyness  will  wear 
off  and  you  will  find  many  staunch  friends  and 
playmates." 

"  I  want  to  learn  to  iron  as  nicely  as  Sheila 
can,"  announced  Pat  with  her  accustomed  enthusi- 
asm. "  And  cook,  too — make  tarts  and  things ! 
Why,  Aunt  Pen,  all  that  is  what  we'll  need  to  be 
second-class  scouts!"  The  thought  suddenly 
brought  concern  to  her  face.  "  Will  we  have  time, 
Aunt  Pen,  to  study  for  the  tenderfoot  test?  Peggy 
Lee  and  Keineth  Randolph  are  going  to  teach  us  to 
tie  knots  and,  you  know,"  she  added  hastily,  "  that 
is  important!  Everybody  should  be  able  to  tie  all 
sorts  of  knots — it's  very  useful,  lots  of  times! " 

Aunt  Pen  nodded.  "Of  course !  You  shall  have 
a  chance  to  learn  all  that !  " 

"  Peggy  say5  ner  brother  will  teach  us  how  to 
semaphore,  too!  Oh,  we'll  be  so  busy,  Renee!  I 
think  I'll  write  to  Angeline  all  about  it!  " 

She  ran  to  the  spinnet  desk  across  the  room  and 
pulled  out  paper  and  pen.  Her  head  was  whirling 


78  LARKSPUR 

with  Aunt  Pen's  delightful  plans !  She  wrote  furi- 
ously for  a  few  moments,  with  a  loud  scratching  of 
her  point.  But  as  she  wrote  into  her  mind  slowly 
crept  a  vivid  picture  of  the  girls  at  Miss  Prindle's 
and  of  the  life  there!  With  the  page  half  written 
she  stopped.  Then  she  caught  up  the  paper  and  tore 
it  across,  dropping  the  pieces  one  by  one  into  the 
waste-basket.  From  the  divan  before  the  fire  Aunt 
Pen  was  watching  her,  wondering  at  the  fleeting 
shadow  that  had  crossed  the  brightness  of  her  face. 

"  What  is  it,  Pat?  "  she  asked  gently. 

Pat  hesitated.  "  Oh — nothing !  "  There  was  a 
note  of  defiance  in  her  voice.  She  did  not  add  that 
into  her  heart  had  suddenly  come  the  illuminating 
conviction  that  the  girls  she  had  known  at  Miss 
Prindle's  would  laugh  at  Aunt  Pen's  "  school !  " 

"  There  was  just  so  much  to  write  about  that  I 
couldn't  seem  to  begin!  " 


CHAPTER  VIII 

BREADWINNERS 

A  PERPLEXING  problem  confronted  Pat  Her 
scout  uniform  must  be  bought  out  of  money  she  had 
earned  herself.  And  she  had  never  earned  a  penny 
in  her  life! 

"  I  earned  my  money  knitting  mittens  and  sell- 
ing them  and  True  Scott  crocheted  tam-o'-shanters. 
They  were  awfully  pretty  and  all  the  girls  ordered 
them.  Peggy  Lee  worked  on  Saturdays  in  a  grocery 
store — taking  telephone  orders,"  Sheila  explained. 

"  I  can't  knit  well  enough  or  crochet  or  do  any- 
thing," Pat  wailed  afterwards,  in  gloomy  consulta- 
tion with  Renee  and  Sheila. 

Then  at  Sheila's  suggestion  the  girls  studied  the 
"  Help  Wanted  "  column  of  the  newspaper.  They 
spread  it  out  upon  the  floor  and  knelt  around  it; 
Renee  reading  off  each  advertisement  and  Sheila 
and  Pat  passing  upon  its  possibilities.  After  con- 
siderable discussion  it  was  decided  that  on  the  next 
afternoon  Pat  should  go  to  a  certain  office  address 
where,  as  the  advertisement  read,  any  refined  lady, 
young  or  old,  would  be  told  how  to  make  ten  dollars 

79 


8o  LARKSPUR 

a  week,  in  pleasant  occupation,  in  her  spare  hours ! 

"  That  will  be  just  right  for  me!  "  Pat  declared 
enthusiastically.  "  It  won't  interfere  with  '  school.' ' 

Aunt  Pen's  "  school  "  was  well  started.  At  first 
Pat  had  been  inclined  to  treat  rather  lightly  the 
schedule  of  "  household  arts,"  but  she  realized  very 
soon  that  Aunt  Pen  was  in  earnest  and  that  she 
intended  to  demand  the  same  thoroughness  and 
accuracy  in  the  simple  tasks  about  the  house  that 
were  necessary  in  the  sums  in  Algebra!  At  the 
beginning  Pat  had  detested  what  Melodia  called 
"  the  upstairs  work,"  but  under  Aunt  Pen's  pleasant 
instruction  and  with  Renee's  cheerful  company — that 
little  lady  was  a  true  housewife  and  her  hands  flew 
eagerly  about  her  work — Pat  began  to  feel  more 
interest  and  to  try  very  hard  to  do  everything  just 
right!  And  at  the  end  of  the  first  week  Aunt  Pen 
had  allowed  the  girls  to  make  apple  pies  which  Mr. 
Everett  had  declared  were  better  than  any  apple  pies 
he  had  ever  tasted ! 

"  And  ten  dollars  a  week !  "  Pat  went  on,  "  I  will 
be  rich  very  soon !  Now  we  must  find  something  for 
Renee!" 

"  Perhaps  I  might  earn  a  little  arranging  flowers 
in  shop  windows;  often  I  helped  Colette  Voisin, 
who  had  a  stall  at  St.  Cloud,  and  I  loved  it!  " 


BREADWINNERS  81 

"  Just  the  thing !  "  cried  Pat,  delighted  with  any- 
thing out  of  the  ordinary.  "  Most  of  the  flower 
shops  look  hideous  and  they'd  probably  pay  you 
well !  While  I  go  for  my  position  to-morrow  after- 
noon, you  and  Sheila  can  stop  at  each  one  of  the 
florists  and  offer  to  trim  their  windows !  " 

The  fortune-seekers  spent  an  excited  hour  pre- 
paring for  their  adventure.  Aunt  Pen  had  gone  out 
for  the  afternoon,  so  they  were  undisturbed.  Pat 
insisted  upon  fastening  her  hair  tightly  back  from 
her  face  so  as  to  give  to  herself  an  appearance  of 
mature  severity!  At  the  last  moment  she  donned 
a  long  coat  of  Aunt  Pen's  which  concealed  her  own 
kilted  skirt  and  then  for  a  finishing  touch  added 
Celia's  last  year's  sable  furs ! 

"  There — I'm  sure  anyone  would  take  me  easily 
for  twenty-one!"  she  declared,  surveying  herself 
with  satisfaction.  And  to  Pat  twenty-one  seemed  old 
enough  to  suit  the  most  exacting  employer ! 

They  had  arranged  to  meet  Sheila  at  her  gate. 
Renee  was  frightened  to  death,  and  as  the  three  girls 
trudged  on  toward  the  business  section  of  the  city 
she  repeated  over  and  over,  after  Pat,  just  what 
she  must  say  upon  entering  each  florist's  shop ! 

"  Be  sure  to  tell  them  that  you  used  to  fix  that 
flower  stall  in  France !  "  warned  Pat  as  they  parted. 

6 


82  LARKSPUR 

She  waved  her  hand,  calling1  "good  luck,"  and 
walked  on  with  a  brave  step.  Sheila  was  to  stay 
with  Renee  because  Renee  was  not  acquainted  with 
the  city  streets. 

But  two  hours  later  it  was  a  crestfallen  trio  who 
met — as  they  had  agreed  to  do — in  Sheila's  kitchen. 
Pat,  in  spite  of  her  ridiculous  make-up,  looked  like  an 
unhappy,  thwarted  child!  She  had  waited  over  an 
hour  in  a  stuffy  office,  packed  in  with  dozens  of 
other  "  refined  lady  "  applicants  who  had — although 
Pat  would  not  tell  this  even  to  Sheila  or  Renee — 
openly  laughed  at  her ! 

"  And  by  the  time  it  was  my  turn  to  go  in  I  was 
so  tired  waiting  that  I  got  all  sort  of  scared  and 
couldn't  say  a  word,"  she  explained  in  deep  disgust. 
"  Anyway,  it  was  to  sell  "  Beauty  Packages "  at 
people's  houses — things  that'd  make  straight  hair 
curly  and  remove  freckles  and  everything  else  and 
you  had  to  deposit  twenty-five  dollars  before  they'd 
even  let  you  begin !  " 

"  And  all  the  flower  shops  said  they  had  experts 
to  decorate  their  windows — they  would  not  even  let 
me  tell  of  Colette's  stall !  I  think  they  thought  I  was 
too  little,"  sighed  Renee;  "  often  they  laughed!  " 

"  Well,"  Pat  tossed  her  head,  "  we  just  mustn't 
get  discouraged  but  try,  try  again!  " 


BREADWINNERS  83 

Renee  shuddered.  "  Oh,  I  can't— not  like  that !  " 
she  cried  vehemently. 

"  Would  you  rather  not  be  a  scout?  "  demanded 
Pat.  "  You  never  get  anything  without  trying  for 
it  and  I  guess  I'm  not  going  to  let  one  failure  dis- 
courage me!  "  In  the  pleasant  shelter  of  the  Quinn 
kitchen  she  felt  very  brave !  But  a  threat  of  tears  in 
Renee' s  eyes  softened  her.  "  Don't  worry,  Ren,  we'll 
find  something!  Maybe,"  she  hesitated,  "maybe 
we'd  better  consult  Aunt  Pen!  " 

"  Oh,  I  wish  you  would !  "  Renee  cried  eagerly. 
Pat's  adventurous  spirit  frightened  her  a  little. 

"  I'll  think  about  it  and  maybe  to-morrow " 

For  Pat  was  not  quite  sure,  in  her  own  mind,  just 
what  Aunt  Pen  might  think  of  the  borrowed  coat  and 
Celia's  furs ! 

By  countless  little  signs  Aunt  Pen  knew  that  her 
girls  had  something  on  their  minds !  Hurrying  down 
to  dinner  she  had  caught  a  glimpse,  as  she  had  passed 
Pat's  door,  of  her  own  coat  and  Celia's  furs  thrown 
on  Pat's  bed;  the  girls  had  been  unusually  silent 
during  the  evening  meal  and  she  had  twice  inter- 
cepted an  appealing  glance  from  Renee  to  Pat  which 
had  drawn  a  nod  of  assurance  from  Pat  in  answer ! 
Pat's  room  work  the  next  morning  had  been  sadly 
careless  and  her  Latin  recitation  had  found  her 


84  LARKSPUR 

abstracted!  Aunt  Pen  was  too  sensible  to  force  a 
confidence — she  was  sure  that  it  was  only  a  matter 
of  a  little  time  before  Pat  would  bring  to  her 
anything  that  troubled! 

So  she  was  not  surprised  when  after  the  morn- 
ing's work  was  over  Pat  came  to  her  door. 

"  Renee  and  I  want  to  talk  to  you,  Aunt  Pen !  " 
she  said  so  seriously  that  for  a  moment  Penelope 
was  startled. 

The  two  stood  before  her,  Pat  with  her  hands 
clasped  behind  her  as  she  had  often  seen  her  father 
stand. 

"  You  see  it's  like  this,  Aunt  Pen — Renee  and 
I  have  got  to  earn  some  money  to  buy  our  uniforms ! 
We  can't  just  use  allowances !  It's  about  six  dollars 
and  a  half  apiece!  We  can't  knit  well  enough  to 
sell  things  and  Peggy  Lee  worked  in  a  grocery  store, 
but  it  was  where  her  mother  traded  and  they  were 
nice  about  it !  But  we — can't — find — any  work !  " 

"  Then  you've  tried  ?  " 

Pat  colored.  "  Yes — we  tried  yesterday ! " 
Without  going  too  much  into  detail  and  carefully 
giving  their  experience  as  much  dignity  as  possible, 
she  recounted  the  efforts  of  the  afternoon  before  to 
find  employment.  Aunt  Pen  was  suddenly  seized 
with  a  violent  coughing  fit  which  left  her  tearful ! 


BREADWINNERS  85 

"  I  hope  you're  not  laughing,"  Pat  ended  with 
some  wrath  in  her  voice.  "  I'm  sure  we're  old  enough 
to  earn  money — boys  do  at  our  age !  And  I  am  not  in 
the  least  discouraged !  " 

"  That  is  right,  Pat,"  cried  Aunt  Pen  admiringly. 
"  But  perhaps  you  have  not  gone  about  it  the  right 
way!  Let's  sit  down  now  and  go  over  the  whole 
thing!" 

Afterwards  Pat  told  Sheila  that  one  thing  she 
always  liked  about  Aunt  Pen  was  that  she  treated 
a  person  as  though  that  person  knew  something ! 

And  Pat  never  dreamed  that  it  was  not  her  own 
mental  processes  that,  after  a  few  words,  arrived  at 
the  conclusion  that  she  and  Renee  must  content  them- 
selves with  just  trying  to  do  what  they  were  qualified 
to  do! 

"  Renee  is  too  young  to  be  employed  even  for 
any  part  of  a  day  in  a  store — we  have  a  law  that 
forbids  it !  And  you,  Pat,  could  scarcely  sell  enough 
Beauty  Packages  in  what  spare  time  you  have  to 
replace  the  shoe  leather  you'd  wear  out !  " 

"  But  what  will  we  do?  "  cried  Pat,  humble  now. 

Aunt  Pen  thought  for  a  long  time.  Pat's  ear- 
nestness was  a  very  precious  thing — she  must 
guard  it! 

Suddenly  she  clapped  her  hands  with  the  girlish- 


86  LARKSPUR 

ness  thatmade  her  such  an  understanding  companion. 

"  I  have  a  brilliant  idea !  You  remember  the  box 
of  apples  that  came  last  week  from  my  farm?  We 
must  have  at  least  fifty  bushels  of  them !  My  farmer 
said  he  was  going  to  take  them  to  market  next  week. 
Instead,  you  and  Renee  may  go  around  and  take 
orders !  You  can  sell  them  for  a  dollar  and  seventy- 
five  cents  a  bushel — even  then  it'll  be  under  the 
grocer's  price — and  you  will  pay  the  farmer  a  dollar 
and  a  half,  which  is  all  he'd  get  wholesale,  anyway." 

"  Then  we'll  make  a  quarter  a  bushel  ?  " 

"  Yes.  If  you  sell  the  whole  lot,  you'll  have 
twelve  dollars  and  a  half  to  divide  between  you, 
besides  lots  of  exercise  and  some  experience !  And 
you  can  take  orders  for  potatoes,  too,  up  to  twenty 
bushels." 

"  Oh,  great !  "  cried  Pat.  She  danced  around 
Indian-fashion.  "  May  we  begin  this  afternoon? 
And  may  I  take  some  of  the  apples  that  came  here 
around  in  a  basket  to  show  people?  " 

"  That  is  a  good  idea !  I  think  you'll  find  it  pleas- 
anter  than  selling  Beauty  Packages!  Then  other 
ways  of  earning  money  may  turn  up.  You  know  one 
thing  you  can  learn,  even  when  you  are  little  girls, 
that  will  help  you  all  through  life  is  to  know  and 
grasp  opportunities  when  they  come.'' 


BREADWINNERS  87 

"  I  don't  know  what  we'd  do  without  you,  Aunt 
Pen!  I'll  keep  accounts  in  a  little  book,  for  I  love 
putting  down  and  adding  figures.  Let's  call  our- 
selves '  LaDue  and  Everett,  Agents.' ' 

Renee,  whose  face  reflected  her  pleasure  and 
approval  of  the  new  plan  and  her  relief  that  the 
afternoon  need  not  bring  further  search  for  employ- 
ment, spoke  now,  shyly : 

"  I  want  so  much  to  earn  some  money  so  as  to 
send  a  little  to  Susette  and  Gabriel.  I  have  so  much 
here  and  they  may  need  many  things !  Do  you  think 
I  could  sell  Christmas  cards  ?  " 

"What  kind,  child?" 

Renee  told,  then,  of  the  little  cards  she  had 
painted  and  sold  in  St.  Cloud.  She  ran  to  her  room 
to  bring  a  few  that  she  had.  Penelope  exclaimed 
with  real  admiration  over  them: 

"  Why,  my  dear,  they  are  beautiful !  Of  course 
you  can  sell  them !  And  you  must  make  more !  And 
dinner  cards,  too !  " 

"Then  valentines!"  cried  Pat.  "And  I'll  sell 
them,  'cause  you  see  I  am  bigger !  We  can  buy  your 
paints  and  cardboard  out  of  our  apple  money  and — " 

"  What  a  business  woman  you  have  suddenly 
become !  "  Aunt  Pen  declared. 

"  We'll  need  a  great  big  account  book  and  an 


88  LARKSPUR 

office "  Pat  stopped  suddenly  and  clapped  her 

hands  to  her  head,  a  motion  which  always  indicated 
that  she  had  an  idea ! 

"  Oh,  spliffy !  Renee — come  on !  I've  the  best 
plan !  "  That  it  was  to  be  a  secret  was  certain !  She 
caught  Renee' s  two  hands  and  dragged  her  from 
the  room,  leaving  Aunt  Pen  convulsed  with  laughter. 

There  ensued,  then,  from  the  third  floor,  between 
the  lunch  hour  and  the  afternoon  study  period,  a 
rumbling  like  thunder,  mingled  with  pounding  and 
scraping  and  bursts  of  laughter.  To  add  to  the  mys- 
tery Pat  rushed  downstairs  to  return  shortly  with 
broom  and  dustpan  and  a  mob  cap  over  her  dark 
head. 

Not  until  the  next  afternoon  was  the  secret 
revealed !  Then  with  much  ceremony  Pat  and  Renee 
escorted  Aunt  Pen  to  the  third  floor.  For  years  the 
low-gabled  room  stretching  across  the  east  wing  of 
the  house  had  served  as  a  sewing  room  where  the 
Archer  sisters  had  worked  stitching  frocks  for  Celia 
and  Pat  and  mending  the  household  linen.  The  Archer 
sisters — Pat  had  always  thought  they  looked  like 
gnomes — were  dead  now  and  Mrs.  Everett  had  the 
girls'  dresses  made  by  a  downtown  dressmaker.  The 
room  had  not  been  used  for  a.  long  time. 


BREADWINNERS  89 

Now  upon  its  door  had  been  nailed  an  imposing 
and  elaborately  decorated  sign  which  read :  "  Eagles' 
Eyrie."  And  beneath  that,  emphasizing  its  warning 
with  a  skull  and  crossbones,  was  another  sign :  "  No 
Admittance." 

"  Three  knocks  and  then  a  quick  one  is  the  sig- 
nal," explained  Pat  mysteriously;  "and  you  and 
Sheila  and  Peggy  and  Keineth  and  True  Scott  are 
the  only  ones  that  will  know  it — except,  of  course, 
Ren  and  me !  " 

Pat  was  unlocking  the  door  as  she  spoke.  She 
threw  it  open  proudly.  "  This  isn't  going  to  be  any 
silly  club !  "  she  explained.  "  Everyone  that  comes 
here  must  work!  That  desk  over  there  is  mine 
and  Renee  has  this  table  because  she  can  paint  on 
it  and  the  light's  good.  And  that  big  table  is  for  the 
other  girls,  only  we  have  to  keep  it  against  the  wall 
'cause  one  leg's  off !  " 

A  few  hours'  work  had  utterly  transformed  the 
room  and  had  removed  all  traces  of  the  patient 
Archer  sisters  and  their  livelihood.  The  floor,  very 
dusty  in  spots,  was  covered  with  strips  of  an  old  hall 
carpeting  which,  when  hardwood  floors  had  been 
laid,  had  been  stored  away.  Pat  had  also  resurrected 
from  the  storeroom  the  antiquated  desk  and  tables 
and  a  dilapidated  assortment  of  chairs.  Over  one  of 


9o  .  LARKSPUR 

these,  to  add  a  note  of  elegance  to  the  room,  she 
had  thrown  an  old  Bagdad  lounge  cover  and  across 
the  windows  the  girls  had  hung  pieces  of  faded 
velour,  replaced  a  few  years  before  in  the  living 
rooms  below.  The  air  was  heavy  with  the  smell 
of  camphor  and  dust;  the  three-legged  table  had  a 
pathetically  helpless  look,  a  corner  of  the  wall  was 
stained  from  a  leak  in  the  roof,  but  to  Pat  and  Renee 
it  was  an  inspiring  retreat ! 

"  My  account  books  are  there  in  my  desk,  and 
I'll  have  you  know,  Aunt  Pen,  that  '  LaDue  and 
Everett '  have  gotten  orders  for  ten  bushels  of  apples 
which  wasn't  bad  for  one  afternoon's  work  and  for 
girls,  too ! "  declared  Pat. 

"  Oh,  that  reminds  me!  "  Aunt  Pen's  voice  was 
as  enthusiastic  as  that  of  the  junior  member  of  the 
firm.  "I  have  an  order  for  LaDue  and  Everett! 
Miss  Higgins  will  take  twelve  of  the  Christmas 
cards !  I  showed  her  one  this  morning.  She  is  going 
to  put  them  on  sale  in  her  tea  room.  She  may  order 
more!  You  must  decide  as  to  your  prices,  Renee." 

Renee  was  too  delighted  to  answer.  Pat  fairly 
bubbled  with  excitement.  She  caught  Aunt  Pen  and 
Renee  in  a  whirling  step  that  almost  completely 
demolished  an  ancient  chair  that  lay  in  her  mad  path. 

"  Hurrah  for  the  Eagles'  Eyrie !    And  won't  we 


BREADWINNERS  91 

just  have  fun?  You  know" — she  quieted  sud- 
denly— "  the  day  mother  and  Celia  went  away  I 
was  awfully  miserable  and  I  wrote  the  silliest  things 
in  my  diary!  But  that  was  before  I  found  Renee! 
And  now  we've  got  Sheila  and  you  and  our  jolly 
school  and  our  business  and  I'm  glad's  can  be  they 
left  me  home  and  I  didn't  go  back  to  Prindle's ! " 

Aunt  Pen,  for  lack  of  breath  and  a  chair  had 
sunk  down  upon  the  floor.  She  looked  up  laughing. 

"  I'd  hate  to  have  to  analyze  that  sentence  of 
yours,  Patsy!  But  even  if  your  English  is  con- 
structed badly  your  heart  is  gold  and  I  say — good 
luck  to  you  and  your  Eagles'  Eyrie !  " 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  NEW  LODGER 

"  WHATEVER  in  the  world  are  all  those  whistles 
blowing  for?  "  asked  Pat,  springing  from  her  bed 
and  running  to  her  window.  "  Something's  hap- 
pening— I  know !  " 

The  girls  listened.  The  early  morning  air  was 
filled  with  incessant  sound;  the  shriek  of  sirens, 
shriller  blasts,  the  heavy  tones  of  boats'  whistles 
from  the  harbor,  intoning  bells. 

"  It  makes  you  shiver!  " 

"  Let's  dress  quickly !  "  Pat  reached  out  for  a 
stocking.  "Maybe  it's  peace!"  she  declared 
suddenly. 

"  Oh-h !  "  was  all  Renee  answered,  but  there  was 
a  world  of  meaning  in  the  single  sound.  "  Listen! 
There  are  more  bells !  Aren't  they  beautiful?  Per- 
haps they  are  ringing  all  over  the  world. 

Downstairs  they  found  everyone  wildly  excited. 
Even  Jasper,  who  had  not  been  over  from  England 
for  so  many  years  that  he  had  forgotten  his  relatives 
there,  was  talking  volubly  to  Aunt  Pen  and  passing 
her  su^ar  for  her  boiled  egg! 

Q2 


THE  NEW  LODGER  93 

"  What  is  it,  Aunt  Pen? "  cried  Pat  and  Renee 
in  one  voice. 

"  My  dears — the  fighting  has  stopped — at  last!  " 
Mr.  Everett  answered.  He  seemed  too  moved  to 
say  more. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  I  feel  more  like  praying 
or  shouting,"  laughed  Aunt  Pen  with  two  tears  roll- 
ing down  her  cheeks. 

From  the  extra  which  Jasper  had  brought  in 
Mr.  Everett  read  to  them  all  the  terms  of  the  armis- 
tice to  which  Germany  had  agreed.  Melodia  and 
Maggie  listened  from  the  door. 

"  I  feel  all  queer  inside !  "  announced  Pat. 

Renee' s  breakfast  lay  before  her,  untouched. 
Aunt  Pen,  seeing  the  real  distress  on  the  child's  face, 
divined  the  ache  that  lay  in  her  heart.  So  that  when 
Renee,  unable  to  control  herself  longer,  rushed 
toward  the  door  she  felt  two  quick  arms  fold  about 
her  and  draw  her  close  to  a  friendly  shoulder. 

"  Dearie,  tell  us!    Don't  grieve  by  yourself !  " 

Then  poor  Renee  buried  her  face;  it  was  several 
moments  before  she  could  speak. 

"  I  wish  I  was — there !  Home,  I  mean — poor 
Susette  is  old — and  has — only  Gabriel !  We  worked 
so  hard — we  made  a  flag,  Susette  and  I,  and  we  tried 
to  make  it  just  like  your  Stars  and  Stripes ;  we  put 


94  LARKSPUR 

in  the  thirteen  bars,  'cause  I  had  counted — but  not — 
nearly — enough  stars !  We'd  promised  Emile  when 
peace  came — he  said  that  the  Germans  would  be 
beaten — we'd  hang  it  from  the  corner  of  the  roof, 
'long  side  of  Gabriel's  old  French  flag!  And  " — the 
head  went  back  against  Penelope's  shoulder — "  I'm 
'fraid  Susette — will  forget — and  it — will  not — be 
there!" 

"  She  will  remember,  Renee,  because  right  at 
this  moment  I  know  her  heart  and  her  mind  are  full 
of  thoughts  of  you,  just  as  you  are  homesick  for 
her  and  the  little  cottage !  " 

Mr.  Everett,  who  had  been  deeply  moved  by 
Renee' s  story,  interposed  some  practical  comfort. 

"  Renee,  will  you  let  me — by  way  of  celebrating 
this  day — send  a  money  order  to  Susette  in  your 
name?  Remember,  child,  how  little  we  have  suf- 
fered as  compared  to  you  and  Susette  and  countless 
others — over  there!  You  shall  write  her  a  little 
letter  to  go  with  it !  " 

"Oh,  I  will  like  that!  And  then  Susette  will 
surely  know  that  I  am  with  kind,  generous  friends !  " 
The  child's  eyes  were  bright  again.  "  And  I  will 
remind  her  where  we  put  the  flag  and  she  can  hang 
it  out,  for  I  think  now  there  will  be  flags  flying  in 
France  for  a  long  time ! " 


THE  NEW  LODGER  9S 

"  This  must,  of  course,  be  a  holiday,"  declared 
Aunt  Pen. 

"  And  let's  just  do  things  we've  never  done 
before,"  cried  Pat. 

At  that  moment  Mr.  Everett  was  called  to  the 
telephone.  He  returned  greatly  excited. 

"  Burns  telephones  from  the  Works  that  the  men 
are  forming  a  monster  parade !  They've  got  a  band 
and  helped  themselves  to  every  flag  in  the  place! 
The  city's  gone  mad!  I  must  hurry  away.  Take 
the  girls  downtown !  This  November  eleventh  must 
be  a  day  we  will  never  forget — as  long  as  we  live !  " 

And  as  he  hurried  off  he  said  to  Renee  in  parting : 

"  Have  that  letter  ready,  my  dear,  and  I  will 
send  the  money  order  home  at  noon-time." 

The  girls  rushed  away  to  put  on  their  wraps. 

"  May  we  stop  for  Sheila?  "  called  Pat  over  the 
banister. 

"Of  course ! "  assented  Penelope,  glad  that  Pat 
wanted  to  share  all  her  joys  with  her  friends. 

By  the  time  they  reached  the  downtown  section 
the  walks  were  thronged  with  people  and  the  streets 
had  been  cleared  of  traffic  for  the  marching  hosts. 
The  girls  found  a  place  on  the  curb.  It  seemed  to 
them  as  though  everyone  had  gone  mad  all  at  once 
and  that  they  were  as  mad  as  anyone  else !  At  every 


96  LARKSPUR 

corner  processions  were  forming,  headed  by  any  sort 
of  a  makeshift  band  and  where  not  even  a  drum  could 
be  commandeered,  tin  pans  and  pails  had  been  pressed 
into  service !  And  through  it  all  the  incessant,  deaf- 
ening tumult  of  whistles ! 

Everyone  was  smiling!  The  sun  had  burst 
through  the  accumulated  clouds  of  long  years  of 
war! 

A  group  of  men  and  girls  from  a  shipyard 
marched  by.  Some  of  them  were  drawing  a  huck- 
ster's wagon  they  had  seized  and  upon  its  load  of 
potatoes  and  apples  and  cabbages  they  had  placed  a 
big  ship's  bell!  One  of  their  number  rode  on  the 
wagon  and  with  a  huge  sledge  pounded  the  bell  at 
regular  intervals.  They  were  all  carrying  flags,  big 
and  small,  and  one  grimy  man  had  a  baby  in  his 
arms!  The  crowd  on  the  curb  cheered  wildly  and 
the  man  held  the  baby  high  in  the  air ! 

The  marchers  had  to  halt  and  while  the  man 
with  the  bell  rested,  they  sang  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner.  Others  took  it  up — it  was  carried  down 
block  after  block,  a  rising  wave  of  sound,  a  chorus 
of  triumph !  Pat  and  Sheila  and  Renee  sang  lustily 
and  as  they  sang  Pat  felt  her  hand  suddenly  caught 
in  a  warm,  tight  clasp !  It  was  her  neighbor,  a  little 
bent  woman  with  the  dark  eyes  of  the  Italian  race 


THE  NEW  LODGER  97 

and  a  worn  shawl  over  her  head  and  shoulders.  Her 
eyes  were  brimming  with  tears,  but  through  them  she 
was  smiling  like  the  others !  Pat  was  too  young  to 
guess  the  tragedy  of  sacrifice  that  might  lie  behind 
those  tears,  but  she  was  not  too  young  to  sense  the 
common  joy  and  thankfulness  and  privilege  they 
shared!  So  she  squeezed  the  worn  fingers  and 
smiled  back  into  the  little  old  woman's  face ! 

"  Here  come  the  men  from  the  Works! "  cried 
Aunt  Pen,  standing  on  tiptoe  to  look  over  the  crowd. 
The  shipbuilders  had  passed  on.  Along  surged  the 
approaching  host,  fifteen  thousand  strong,  men  and 
women !  They  had  stripped  the  works  of  flags  and 
carried  them  now  high  in  the  air  with  arms  that  could 
not  tire!  The  discordant  blasts  of  their  band  was 
heavenly  music  to  their  ears !  Old  men  stepped  along 
like  boys ;  scattered  through  the  lines  were  hundreds 
of  girls  in  their  working  overalls  and  caps. 

Renee  was  puzzled.  These  men,  many  of  them, 
did  not  look  like  the  Americans  she  had  seen !  One 
of  them  shouted  out  in  a  strange  tongue,  but  he  car- 
ried a  banner  that  said  "  We  are  for  the  U.  S.  A." 
Perhaps,  like  herself,  he  had  come  to  America  for 
refuge  and  was  giving  now  of  his  strength  and 
loyalty  to  the  mother  country  he  had  sought. 

"  Can't  we  march,  too,  Aunt  Pen?  "  cried  Pat. 
7 


98  LARKSPUR 

Some  one  from  the  lines  shouted  to  them  to  come 
in!  They  made  a  place  in  the  ranks  for  them  and 
even  the  little  old  woman  with  the  shawl  joined  the 
procession.  A  voice  from  behind  hailed  them  and 
Pat  saw  her  father  marching  with  his  men  . 

"  Could  a  day  be  more  wonderful?  But  I  am  as 
hungry  as  a  bear,"  declared  Pat  at  luncheon.  "  And, 
oh  joy,  chicken  and  biscuits !  What  shall  we  do  this 
afternoon,  Aunt  Pen?  " 

"  Dear  me,  Pat,  do  you  think  as  fast  as  you 
talk?  For  the  sake  of  your  digestion  I  shall  keep 
the  plans  for  this  afternoon  a  secret  until  you  are 
through  luncheon!  But  it  is  going  to  be  some- 
thing you'll  just  love !  "  and  Aunt  Pen  imitated  per- 
fectly Pat's  characteristically  enthusiastic  tone. 

"  Aunt  Pen,  I'll  choke  if  you  don't  tell  even  a 
teeny  word !  Let  us  guess !  " 

But  Aunt  Pen  was  firm,  and  not  until  the  last 
crumb  of  luncheon  had  been  eaten  would  she  say 
one  word ! 

Then :  "  Your  father  says  we  may  all  go  through 
the  Works!" 

"  All— Sheila  and  Keineth  and  Peggy?  " 

"  Yes.  And  we  will  start  in  half  an  hour.  That 
will  give  Renee  a  chance  to  write  her  letter  to 
Susette."  For  Renee  had  found  on  her  plate  an 


THE  NEW  LODGER  99 

envelope  containing  a  money  order  for  one  hundred 
dollars ! 

Because  of  the  day  s  celebration  the  Works  were 
almost  deserted  and  for  the  first  time  in  months  the 
great  wheels  were  still  and  the  furnaces  smoulder- 
ing. Mr.  Everett  met  the  girls  and  took  them  him- 
self from  building  to  building,  explaining  carefully 
every  process  of  manufacture.  Peggy  and  Sheila 
were  intent  listeners ;  Keineth,  more  imaginative  than 
the  others,  thought  that  the  wheels  were  like  great 
giants,  harmless  now  as  they  slumbered !  And  Renee 
loved  the  empty,  dusty  spaces,  the  gleaming  metals 
of  the  engines  and  dull  glow  of  the  furnaces !  Pat's 
most  lasting  impression  was  pride  that  her  father 
should  know  so  much ! 

Sheila  became  particularly  absorbed  in  the  pattern 
shop.  She  had  lingered  behind  the  others  to  examine 
more  closely  a  series  of  beltings.  Of  an  inquiring 
and  inventive  mind,  she  was  always  deeply  interested 
in  the  putting  together  of  any  piece  of  mechanism. 
Suddenly  she  realized  that  she  was  alone  and  hurried 
out  of  the  building  to  overtake  the  others.  They 
had  gone  on  through  a  long,  enclosed  alleyway  to 
the  main  shop.  She  could  still  hear  Mr.  Everett's 
voice. 

As  she  rushed  through  the  passage  she  ran  head- 


ioo  LARKSPUR 

long  into  a  man  who  appeared  suddenly  from  a  door- 
way letting  into  the  passage.  He  was  as  startled 
as  she!  " Du  verdamte  dumkopf!"  he  snarled, 
under  his  breath,  hurrying  on.  Sheila  stood 
motionless. 

"  That  was  German! "  she  thought.  She  turned 
quickly.  The  man  was  disappearing  at  the  end  of 
the  passage.  And  in  a  flash  she  recognized  him  as 
her  mother's  new  lodger ! 

Pat's  voice  came  to  her  from  the  other  direction. 

"  Shei-la!    Come  along!  " 

A  multitude  of  thoughts  were  whirling  in  Sheila's 
head!  She  did  not  hear  one  word  of  the  light  chat- 
ter about  her,  for  the  exploring  party  had  ended  now 
in  Mr.  Everett's  office.  That  man  had  certainly 
cursed  in  German  and  there  had  been  an  evil  look 
in  his  face;  she  had  frightened  him  so  that  he  had 
lost  control  of  himself  for  an  instant!  And  what 
could  he  have  been  doing  there — like  that — when 
all  the  other  men  were  off  celebrating? 

Down  deep  in  her  heart  a  voice  told  her  that  she 
ought  to  tell  Mr.  Everett  immediately !  But  another 
voice  warned  her  that  that  would  surely  mean  the 
man  would  be  discharged  and  her  mother  would  lose 
her  lodger !  The  back  room  would  be  empty  again — 
and  the  music !  She  had  begun  her  lessons  and  Miss 


THE  NEW  LODGER  101 

Sheehan  had  said  she  "  was  learning  quickly ! "  It 
had  been  a  precious  dream  come  true — 

She  listened  to  the  second  voice — it  was  very 
coaxing !  "  Perhaps  he  is  a  German  who  has  become 
a  loyal  citizen  of  the  United  States,"  it  told  her,  and 
that  sounded  very  reasonable !  She  had  startled  him 
and  he  had  spoken  in  the  old,  forgotten  language! 
And  the  evil  look  she  had  caught  in  his  eyes  might 
have  been  imagined — for  she  had  been  startled,  too! 
Besides,  had  the  fighting  not  ended  this  very  day? 
What  harm  could  an  enemy  do  now!  If  she  told 
Mr.  Everett  and  he  laughed  she  would  feel  very 
foolish !  Mr.  Everett  was  placing  them  in  the  auto- 
mobile and  instructing  Watkins  to  take  them  to 
Huyler's  where  they  would  have  chocolate  and  cakes 
to  end  the  great  day.  She  could  not  tell  him  now ! 

But  the  doubt  in  her  heart  made  her  sweets  taste 
bitter,  and  while  the  others  chattered  merrily  Sheila 
sat  silent  and  absorbed.  She  had  listened  within  her- 
self to  the  pleasanter  voice,  but  in  her  ears  still  rang 
that  muttered  "  Du  verdamte  dumkopf,"  and  she  was 
haunted  by  the  gleam  of  evil  eyes. 


CHAPTER  X 

A   SCOUT'S    HONOR 

THAT  night  Sheila  dreamed  all  the  great  wheels 
she  had  seen  in  the  Everett  Works  were  rolling  down 
the  street  after  her  and,  though  she  ran  as  fast  as 
she  could,  they  advanced  more  quickly  and  came 
nearer  and  nearer;  then  they  began  to  roar  and  to 
wave  arms  of  hot  metal  towards  her!  The  nearest 
reached  out  and  caught  at  her  with  fiery  fingers  and 
just  as  she  felt  them  close  about  her,  she  wakened ! 

Paddy  was  barking  furiously,  running  from  her 
bed  to  the  door  and  back,  as  though  to  implore  her 
to  come! 

Her  fingers  clutched  at  the  bedclothes — with  ter- 
rified eyes  she  peered  into  the  darkness  of  the  room! 
It  had  been  a  dream — she  was  safe  in  her  bed! 

"  Woof !    Woof !  "  growled  Paddy. 

Sheila  crept  out  of  bed,  scolding  Paddy  in  whis- 
pers, that  she  might  not  waken  her  mother  who  slept 
in  the  next  room.  Barefooted  she  stole  down  the 
stairs  to  the  kitchen,  Paddy  leaping  on  ahead  of  her. 
The  kitchen  was  dark;  it  was  a  moment  or  two 
before  Sheila's  eyes  could  make  out  the  familiar 
1 02 


THE  NEW  LODGER  103 

objects.  Paddy  growled  and  barked  again!  A 
sound  outside  startled  Sheila  so  that  she  had  to  clap 
her  hand  over  her  mouth  to  still  a  scream!  Then 
she  realized  it  was  the  lodger  going  up  the  outside 
stairway!  Each  step  creaked  under  his  foot;  she 
heard  the  door  above  close  and  a  key  turn  in  the 
lock! 

But  Paddy  was  not  satisfied !  He  did  not  bark 
again,  for  Sheila  had  soundly  rapped  his  nose,  but 
he  ran  to  the  window,  and  placing  his  fore-paws 
on  the  sill,  looked  out  and  whined.  Sheila,  follow- 
ing him,  peeped  through  the  curtains.  A  light  snow 
had  covered  the  ground  in  the  small  backyard ;  it  was 
still  falling.  Not  an  object  was  visible  except  the 
bare  lilac  bush  in  the  corner. 

"  I  s'pose  it's  a  cat — you  bad  dog !  "  Sheila  mut- 
tered crossly.  "  Come  right  upstairs,  now,  and  be 
quiet !  "  So  the  two  scampered  back  to  Sheila's 
room  and  Sheila  cuddled  down  under  the  bedclothes, 
pulling  them  well  up  over  her  face.  Paddy  jumped 
upon  the  bed  and  laid  down  very  close  to  her  feet  and, 
though  Sheila  knew  this  was  against  the  Quinn 
rules,  she  was  grateful  for  his  company  and  did  not 
drive  him  away! 

In  the  morning  Sheila  was  not  her  cheerful  self; 
she  helped  prepare  the  breakfast,  clear  it  away  and 


104  LARKSPUR 

get  the  three  small  brothers  ready  for  school  in  an 
abstracted  manner.  Her  mother  watched  her  start 
off  herself  with  an  anxious  heart. 

"  Land  o'  goodness,  what's  got  into  my  sweetness 
this  morning?  "  she  thought.  "  Never  mind — if  it's 
anything  wrong  she'll  be  telling  her  mother !  " 

Which  was  exactly  what,  at  noon-time,  Sheila  ran 
all  the  way  home  from  school  to  do.  Not  for  a 
moment  longer  could  she  bear  the  self-reproach  and 
doubt  that  was  tormenting  her!  And  her  mother 
gave  her  the  counsel  she  expected ! 

"  You  go  just  as  straight  to  Mr.  Everett  as  you 
can,  dearie !  And  don't  worry !  " 

Sheila  found  the  Everett  family  in  a  state  of 
intense  excitement.  She  needed  only  to  glance  once 
at  Mr.  Everett's  stern  face  to  know  that  something 
terrible  had  happened !  And  with  incredible  instinct, 
born  of  remorse,  something  within  her  told  her  what 
it  was!  She  stood  quite  still  and  looked  from  one 
face  to  another  down  the  length  of  the  table  upon 
which  the  day's  luncheon  had  been  spread. 

"  Oh,  Sheila,  somebody  has  stolen  some  dread- 
fully important  formulas  from  the  Works " 

began  Pat. 

"  No-— no—no ! "   cried   Sheila,  as  though  her 


A  SCOUT'S  HONOR  105 

protest  must  stop  the  truth !  Then  she  realized  that 
they  were  staring  at  her  in  amazement !  She  clutched 
the  back  of  a  chair  and  tried  to  speak  but  not  a  sound 
would  come. 

"  It  is  true,"  explained  Mr.  Everett  in  a  tired 
voice.  "  It  must  have  been  the  work  of  a  very  clever 
band  of  spies !  All  three  copies  of  the  formula  have 
been  taken!  Each  one  had  been  put  in  a  place  we 
considered  absolutely  safe !  We  had  just  completed 
them  and  were  ready  to  turn  them  over  for  the 
examination  of  the  government  experts ! " 

"  And  think  of  it,  Sheila,  Daddy  says  that  it 
was  for  an  explosive  so  dreadfully  powerful  that 
just  having  the  formula  and  knowing  how  to  make 
it  would  help  prevent  wars!  Isn't  that  what  he 
said,  Aunt  Pen?  "  Pat  was  greatly  excited. 

"  To  keep  the  secret  in  our  country  will  certainly 
help  to  prevent  future  wars !  There  is  no  doubt  but 
that  the  theft  is  the  work  of  German  agents,"  Mr. 
Everett  answered.  "  And  I  did  not  know  that  we 
had  a  man  we  could  not  trust ! " 

Then  Sheila  swallowed  hard.  As  she  began  to 
speak  she  felt  as  though  her  voice  was  coming  from 
a  great  way  off — that  it  did  not  belong  to  her  at  all ! 
Everything  in  the  room  began  to  whirl  around  her 
excepting  Mr.  Everett. 


106  LARKSPUR 

In  broken  words  she  told  her  little  story.  And 
at  the  end  she  burst  out,  tears  choking  her  voice: 
"  I  just  hate  myself  for  not  having  told  you  right 
then  and  there !  " 

It  seemed  to  Sheila  that  long  minutes  of  silence 
followed  her  outburst  and  as  though  every  face  in 
the  room  was  turned  upon  her  in  condemnation.  Her 
own  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  rug  at  her  feet.  But 
presently  Mr.  Everett's  voice  answered  with  a  hope- 
ful ring  it  had  not  had  before  and,  gaining  courage, 
Sheila  looked  up  to  find  Aunt  Pen  nodding  in 
approval  and  Pat  regarding  her  with  open  envy. 

"  My  dear  girl,,"  exclaimed,  Mr.  Everett,  "  I 
believe  you've  given  us  an  important  clue !  I'll  call 
up  the  secret  service  detectives  and  will  ask  you  to 
repeat  your  story  to  them — if  you  will  wait !  "  He 
quickly  left  the  room  as  he  spoke. 

"  Sheila  Quinn,  you're  just  like  a  real  detective! 
Isn't  it  grand  and  exciting?  I'd  never  have  thought 
a  thing  about  that  awful  man!  "  Pat  cried. 

And  Aunt  Pen  was  solicitous  that  Sheila  should 
have  some  hot  luncheon  immediately ! 

From  that  moment  on  everything  happened  with 
exciting  rapidity.  Sheila  repeated  her  story  to  the 
two  detectives  who  came  at  Mr.  Everett's  call.  It 
was  too  late  to  return  to  school,  so,  hurrying  home, 


A  SCOUT'S  HONOR  107 

she  went  grimly  about  various  little  household  tasks, 
constantly  listening  for  a  knock  at  the  door,  starting 
at  every  sound ! 

"  Do  you  know,  Sheila,"  her  mother  whispered, 
"  I'm  as  nervous  as  can  be!  I'm  sure  I  heard  Mr. 
Marx  go  upstairs  the  front  way !  He's  never  done 
that  before !  I  believe  he  just  doesn't  want  a  body  to 
know  he's  in  the  house !  Hark !  "  Holding  hands 
tightly  they  listened ;  a  soft  pad-pad  overhead  made 
them  certain  someone  was  moving  about  in  the  room 
above. 

"  I  wish  they'd  hurry  and  come  and  arrest  him," 
Sheila  groaned.  And  scarcely  had  the  words  left  her 
lips  when  the  front  doorbell  gave  out  its  rusty  clang. 

Mrs.  Quinn  met  three  men  at  the  door  who 
briefly  explained  that  they  came  with  a  warrant  for 
the  arrest  of  one  Mr.  John  Marx  who  they  thought 
might  be  found  in  her  house.  With  a  nodding  of  the 
head  that  set  awry  all  sorts  of  little  gray  curls,  Mrs. 
Quinn  made  it  known  that  she  was  very  certain  the 
gentleman  was  at  that  moment  right  up  in  her  back 
room!  She  started  up  the  stairs  with  two  of  the 
men  while  the  third  lingered  uncertainly  in  the  hall 
below. 

"  Quick — come  and  watch  these  stairs  outside," 
cried  Sheila  running  to  him.  She  led  him  back  to 


io8  LARKSPUR 

the  kitchen.  They  reached  there  just  in  time  to  hear 
the  outside  door  above  close  quietly  and  quick  steps 
on  the  rickety  stairs.  Not  quick  enough,  though,  for 
as  Mr.  John  Marx  opened  the  door  at  the  foot  of 
the  stairs  he  faced  the  muzzle  of  a  revolver ! 

Sheila,  frightened  and  unnerved,  shrank  to  a  cor- 
ner of  the  kitchen.  She  heard  quick,  angry  voices, 
a  sharp  command,  a  click  of  metal  as  of  a  lock  snap- 
ping shut!  Her  mother  and  the  two  other  officers 
had  come  into  the  kitchen.  Then  the  one  man  and 
his  prisoner  went  away  and  the  others  returned  to 
the  room  above  to  search  its  contents. 

"  Dear  me,  I  feel  almost  as  though  we'd  done 
something  ourselves,"  sighed  Mrs.  Quinn,  worn  out 
with  excitement.  "  And  he  was  a  nice  appearing 
man,  too,  with  always  a  pleasant  word  when  he 

brought  me  the "  she  stopped.  For  the  first 

time  it  came  to  her  that  she  had  lost  her  lodger! 

And  as  though  the  same  thought  tormented 
Sheila  the  girl  dropped  her  work  and  went  to  the  old 
piano.  It  had  been  tuned  and  polished  and  Mrs. 
Quinn  had  draped  a  linen  and  lace  square  over  one 
end  of  it.  Sheila  sat  down  and  slowly,  with  a  linger- 
ing touch,  ran  her  fingers  up  and  down  the  scale. 
Then  she  rose  abruptly  and  closed  the  cover  over 
the  keys  with  a  resolute  bang. 


A  SCOUT'S .  HONOR  109 

"  It's  not  half  the  punishment  I  deserve — but  I 
did  want  to  learn!"  and  bursting  into  tears  she 
rushed  off  to  her  room  to  fight  out  by  herself  the 
disappointment  she  must  face. 

And  as  though  the  day  had  not  brought  enough  to 
"  just  clean  tucker  one  out,"  as  poor  Mrs.  Quinn  put 
it,  that  evening,  after  the  boys  had  gone  to  bed, 
Mr.  Everett  and  Pat  came  to  the  door !  Mrs.  Quinn's 
hospitable  soul  was  greatly  distressed  that  she  could 
not  invite  her  guest  into  the  parlor — occupied  now 
by  old  Mr.  Judkins  at  twenty-five  dollars  a  month — 
but  Mr.  Everett  declared  that  he  could  not  ask  for 
a  more  comfortable  chair  than  the  old  rocker  nor  for 
a  more  cosy  room !  With  his  usual  tact  he  made  Mrs. 
Quinn  feel  that  they  were  old  acquaintances. 

He  told  them — keeping  Pat's  voice  out  of  the 
story  with  difficulty — how  the  arrest  of  John  Marx 
had  led  to  the  rounding  up  of  the  entire  band; 
how  they  had  been  quickly  proven  to  be  Germans  and 
paid  agents  of  the  German  government  and  how — 
although  as  yet  the  formulas  had  not  been  found  and 
their  whereabouts  remained  a  deep  mystery,  it  must 
be  only  a  short  time  before  they  would  be  discovered, 
as  some  of  the  best  secret  service  men  in  the  United 
States  were  working  on  the  case ! 

Mr.  Everett's  face  looked  worn  and  worried. 


no  LARKSPUR 

Nevertheless  he  spoke  cheerfully,  as  though  to  relieve 
Sheila's  concern. 

"  And  now,  my  dear,"  he  concluded,  "  you  have 
helped  us  so  much  in  this  matter  I  want  you  to  tell 
me  frankly — is  there  not  some  way  in  which  I  can 
show  my  appreciation  ?  Is  there  not  something  you 
want  to  do?  Girls  like  you  and  my  Pat  here  have 
so  many  air  castles  and  I  would  like " 

"Oh,  please  stop!"  Sheila  sprang  to  her  feet, 
her  face  burning.  "  I  just  can't  bear  it!  If  I  had 
done  what  I  knew,  right  then,  I  ought  to  do — and 
told  you,  there  at  the  Works — they  might  have  been 
stopped — in  time!  But  I  didn't!  I  waited!  The 
only  way  I  can  bear  thinking  about  it  is  knowing 
that — I'm  being1  punished!"  Her  shame- faced 
glance  went  from  the  piano  to  her  mother's  face. 

"  So  please  don't  say  anything  to  me  about " 

she  stopped,  held  by  a  sudden  thought,  and  drew 
from  the  pocket  of  her  blouse  a  small,  flat  package  of 
tissue  paper.  With  trembling  fingers  she  unwrapped 
it  and  held  up  to  view  her  badge  of  the  Golden  Eagle. 

"  I  didn't  live  up  to  it !  I  didn't  keep  my  Scout's 
honor!  Mr.  Everett,  please,  will  you  take  it  and 
keep  it  for  me — until  the  formulas  are  found?  I 
cannot  wear  it!" 

There  was  no  doubting  the  resolution  in  Sheila's 


A  SCOUT'S  HONOR  in 

face.  The  man  marveled  at  the  courage  with  which 
this  mere  girl  inflicted  upon  herself  the  punishment 
she  thought  she  deserved !  In  spite  of  a  half -smoth- 
ered exclamation  from  Pat,  he  took  the  badge,  care- 
fully re-wrapped  it,  and  put  it  away  in  his  pocket. 

"  Sheila,  you  are  evidently  determined  not  to 
forget  this  lesson !  Many  of  us  make  mistakes  often 
by  hesitating  to  heed  the  voice  of  our  conscience, 
but  I  know  one  girl  that  isn't  going  to  let  it  happen 
again ! "  He  patted  her  affectionately  upon  her 
shoulder.  "  I  don't  know,"  he  added,  enigmatically, 
"  but  that  this  all  may  not  be  worth  more  than  the 
formulas — for  us  all !  " 

Then  he  shook  Mrs.  Quinn's  hand  warmly  in 
parting. 

"  I  congratulate  you,  madam."  And  though  Mrs. 
Quinn  was  too  flustered  to  know  what  in  the  world 
for,  nevertheless  she  beamed  with  pleased  pride ! 


CHAPTER  XI 

YOUNG  WINGS 

"Tat!  Tat!  Tat!  T-tat!" 

The  mystic  door  of  the  Eagles'  Eyrie  opened 
wide  enough  to  admit  Peggy  Lee  and  Keineth 
Randolph. 

All  sorts  of  greetings  assailed  them.  "  Hello, 
Eagles !  "  "  We  were  afraid  you  wouldn't  come!  " 
"  A  half-holiday  and  such  a  storm,"  regretfully  from 
Pat. 

"  We'd  come  through  flood  and  fire ! "  cried 
Peggy,  with  magnificent  expression.  "  We  are  the 
bearers  of  good  tidings!  " 

"What?  What?  What?"  came  at  once  from 
three  throats. 

"  The  Wasps  have  challenged  us  to  another  game, 
and  if  we  don't  beat  the  pigskin  right  off  of  'em — 
I'll  resign  as  captain  of  the  team !  " 

"  Peg — you  talk  more  and  more  like  Billy !  " 

"  Garrett,  if  you  please,"  and  Peggy  struck  a  fine 
pose!  "  Now  that  he  has  come  into  the  dignity  of 
long  trousers,  my  dear  brother  desires  to  be  called 
Garrett!  Billy  is  far  too  childish  for  him  and 

112 


YOUNG  WINGS  113 

William  would  confuse  him  with  his  respected  father 
who  is  also  my  dear  daddy " 

"  Well,  Garrett,  then,"  Keineth  laughed,  "  only 
I  heard  you  promise  your  mother  you  would  not  use 
any  more  slang !  " 

"  So  I  did,  and  I  am  trying,  and  what  I  really 
mean  is  that  if  my  dear  little  Yellowbirds  do  not  play 
an  exquisitely  nice  game  and  defeat  the  Wasps  I 
shall  be  prostrated  with  chagrin  and  shall  send  in 
my " 

"  Oh,  for  goodness  sake,  Peg!  "  they  begged. 

Peggy  now  became  very  earnest.  The  Wasps, 
Troop  Nine's  basketball  team,  was  the  only  scout 
team  that  Troop  Six  had  not  been  able  to  beat.  Now 
the  Yellowbirds  were  going  to  have  another  chance ! 
For  the  next  two  weeks  they  must  practice  as  they 
had  never  practiced  before !  They  must  uphold  the 
honor  of  Troop  Six ! 

Pat's  face,  as  she  listened  to  the  plans,  wore  a 
wistful  look.  She  wanted  so  much  to  make  the 
Troop  team !  No  one  of  the  scrubs  worked  harder 
at  practice !  And  Peggy  had  told  her,  too,  that  she 
was  beginning  to  play  a  good  game.  Of  course  it  was 
wicked  to  wish  that  anything  might  happen  to  any  of 
the  valiant  Yellowbirds,  however — 

Renee  interrupted  the  plans  of  the  young  athletes 
8 


ii4  LARKSPUR 

by  abruptly  pushing  back  the  one  sound  chair  in  the 
room  which  she  had  been  occupying. 

"  It's  too  dark  to  work !  "  she  declared,  shutting 
her  paint  box. 

"  Let's  just  sit  around  and  talk,"  suggested  Pat. 
"  I  feel  lazy !  Anyway,  Ren,  you  work  too  hard !  I 
heard  Aunt  Pen  say  so." 

Against  the  windows  of  the  Eyrie  the  storm  beat 
relentlessly — rain  and  hail ;  gusts  of  wind,  sounding 
like  witches'  voices  around  the  gable.  The  girls 
stretched  out  on  the  floor.  Sheila  shut  the  book  she 
had  been  reading.  Pat  pulled  Keineth's  head  into 
her  lap  that  she  might  "  play,"  as  she  called  it,  with 
the  bright  curls  escaping  from  the  band  that  held 
them  back. 

"  You'd  almost  think  there  were  fairies  around ! 
Listen !  "  Keineth  held  up  her  hand.  "  It  makes  me 
think  of  a  story  poor  Tante  used  to  tell  me  about 
the  kind  fairies  who  came  to  whisper  to  the  princess 
what  she  should  do  when  she  had  been  shut  in  the 
tower  of  the  castle  by  the  wicked  prince.  Tante  used 
to  try  and  make  me  understand  how  one  could  learn 
something  from  all  those  fairy  tales — the  wicked 
prince  was  our  own  selfish  natures,  the  beautiful 
princess  was,  of  course,  our  bestest  selves  that  we'd 
shut  away  in  the  prison  tower  and  the  fairy  voices 


YOUNG  WINGS  115 

that  whispered  and  sang  'round  the  tower  were  the 
voices  of  Opportunity!  But,  dear  me,  I  used  to 
think  it  was  more  fun  just  to  believe  that  the  princess 
was  a  real  princess !  " 

"  I  wish  a  fairy  would  come  right  now  and  tell 
me  what  would  rhyme  with  "  long  "  besides  "  song!  " 
sighed  Pat. 

"  And  /  wish  a  fairy  would  just  guide  my  fingers 
for  me,"  put  in  little  Renee  from  her  corner. 

"  Let's  all  tell  what  we  want  to  be,"  cried  Peggy. 
"  I've  always  said  I  was  going  to  be  an  actress!  I 
was  in  a  play  once  and  did  awfully  well !  But  Bar- 
bara met  Ethel  Barrymore  when  she  visited  college 
and  she  told  the  girls  that  only  a  few  of  the  women 
who  go  on  the  stage  are  really  happy  or  become 
famous!  I  don't  believe  Barb  told  her  about  me 
but  Barb  got  the  idea  that  she  sort  of — meant  me! 
And  Billy — or  Garrett — says  my  feet  are  too  big, 
anyway,  and  I  guess  he's  right !  So  now  I'm  trying 
to  decide  whether  to  be  a  chemist  or  a  doctor !  I  love 
to  fuss  with  the  cunning  little  dishes  and  mix  up  all 
sorts  of  things,  and  if  I  don't  blow  myself  up  Dad 
says  I'll  be  all  right.  But  I'd  like  to  be  a  doctor, 
too !  "  Poor  Peggy's  forehead  wrinkled  in  a  deep 
frown  over  the  perplexing  problem  of  her  future. 

"  My  father  says  that  after  four  more  years  of 


n6  LARKSPUR 

school  he  will  take  me  abroad  to  study  my  music 
from  great  masters!  And  I  will  learn  to  play  and 
to  write  beautiful  music!  "  said  Keineth  softly,  look- 
ing as  though  off  in  the  shadows  of  the  room  she 
could  see  her  dearest  dreams  come  true. 

"Your  turn,  Ren!" 

Renee  blushed  under  the  serious  glances  turned 
toward  her.  "  I've  wanted  ever  since  I  was  a  little 
girl,  to  make  things  out  of  clay  and  marble,  like  my 
father  used  to  make — and  Emile.  Emile  had  prom- 
ised to  teach  me  when  I  was  older.  My  mother  could 
never  bear  to  see  the  clay  and  tools  around,  it  made 
her  very  sad,  I  think  because  it  made  her  think  of 
my  poor  father.  One  summer  mother  and  Emile 
and  I  went  to  the  sea,  and  when  we'd  sit  on  the 
beach  Emile  would  help  me  make  rabbits  and  cats  and 
birds  out  of  the  wet  sand.  I  love  to  draw  and  paint, 
but  when  I  am  older  I  shall  learn  to  carve,  too !  " 

"Now,  Sheila!" 

Sheila  laughed.    "  Goodness,  girls,  I've  never  had 
a  moment  to  make  nice  dreams  like  yours!     I  did 

want  to  learn  to  play  the  piano "  she  stopped 

short;  the  hurt  of  disappointment  and  the  smart  of 
remorse  had  not  healed  in  her  heart.  "  But  I  never 
could  have  earned  any  money — with  it !  I  just  want 
to  hurry  through  school  as  fast  as  I  can  so  that  I 


YOUNG  WINGS  117 

can  do  something  that  will  help  the  boys  and  mother 
along!  They'll  want,  maybe,  to  go  to  college!  I 
think  I'd  like  sometime  to  be  a  nurse !  I'm  awfully 
big  and  strong,  you  see,  and  mother  has  taught  me 
a  lot  of  sensible  things !  " 

"  You  be  a  nurse  and  I'll  be  a  doctor !  "  exclaimed 
Peggy. 

"  We've  all  told  but  you,  Pat!  " 

"  What  are  you  going  to  be?  " 

Pat  looked  around  the  circle  of  earnest  faces.  It 
was  a  moment  of  noble  thoughts,  of  precious 
confidences ! 

"  Girls,  I'll  tell  you  all  a  secret  if  you'll  promise 
not  to  tell !  " 

"We'll  promise!" 

"  Cross  your  hearts?  " 

"  Cross  our  hearts  and  on  our  scout's  honor." 

"  Well  " — Pat  hitched  along  to  the  center  of  the 
circle — "  I'm  going  to  be  a  poet !  And  I'm  writing 
a  ballad — right  now"  she  mysteriously  tapped  her 
pocket  from  which  protruded  a  long  pencil  and  a 
corner  of  paper.  "  And  it's  about  Aunt  Pen !  " 

"  Aunt  Pen !  "  cried  Renee. 

"  Yes — that's  the  secret !  You  think  she's  happy 
but  she  has  a  secret  sorrow  and  /  found  it  out!" 

"  Oh,  tell  us!    What  is  it?    Do  hurry,  Pat! " 


n8  LARKSPUR 

Pat's  voice  dropped  to  a  fittingly  sorrowful  note. 
"  It  was  a  disappointed  love,  I  think !  That  silly 
malady  even  attacked  poor  Aunt  Pen,  though  she 
isn't  like  lots  of  people  and  doesn't  go  round  with 
a  broken  heart  within  her  bosom  and  sighing  and 
weeping  like  they  do  in  stories!  I  guessed  it  when 
she  asked  me  so  many  questions  about  Captain 
Allan,  Renee's  guardian,  you  know,  and  she  looked 
so  funny  and  red  when  she  was  asking  them  just 
like  I  do  when  I'm  saying  one  thing  but  really  want- 
ing to  say  another !  Then  she  wanted  to  see  a  letter 
he  had  written  to  Renee  and  Renee  brought  it,  and 
I  watched  her  face  and  then  I  knew!  It  turned  fiery 
red  and  then  white  and  she  did  the  queerest  thing — 
she  kissed  that  letter,  real  quick — just  a  plain  letter 
he'd  written  to  Renee!  I  couldn't  believe  my  eyes 
that  it  was  Aunt  Pen !  She  knew  I  saw  her  and  she 
began  to  laugh  and  then  to  sort  of  cry!  She  told 
us  that  she  was  sure  it  was  a  Mr.  Allan  she  had  known 
her  senior  year  in  college !  I  begged  her  to  tell  more 
but  she  just  said  '  there  isn't  any  more  to  tell ! '  and 
we  couldn't  get  another  word  out  of  her !  Of  course 
Aunt  Pen  has  a  right  to  hide  her  own  secret  sorrow 
away  but  she  can't  stop  my  putting  it  into  a  ballad ! 
Only  I  can't  think  of  anything  to  rh^me  with  '  long  ' 
— except  '  song '  and  I've  used  that !  " 


YOUNG  WINGS  119 

"  Go  right  through  the  alphabet,  Pat !  Bong, 
cong,  dong " 

"  Now  don't  you  girls  tell  a  soul  that  I'm  going  to 
be  a  poet !  "  Pat  admonished. 

Peggy  sprang  to  her  feet.  "  Girls — let's  make  a 
solemn  pledge  to  stick  to  our  ambitions  and  not  let  a 
single  thing  stop  us!  And  we'll  help  one  another!  " 

"  We  must  have  a  pass-word !  Let's  have  it 
'Steadfast!'" 

"  We  ought  to  have  a  motto,  too !  " 

"  I  know  a  Latin  one,  '  Labor  omnia  vincit ! ' 
How's  that?" 

"  Spliffy !  Now  to  do  this  right,  girls,  we  must 
have  a  ceremony!  Stand  up — in  a  circle!  Hold 
hands — thumbs  in — like  this !  Now  all  say  the  motto 
together !  What  was  it,  Keineth  ?  " 

Keineth  repeated,  "  Labor  omnia  vincit !  "  and  the 
girls  said  it  with  her. 

"  Now,  altogether — '  Steadfast ' — so  we'll  get 
used  to  it!" 

"  Steadfast !  "  in  hissing  whispers. 

Sheila  was  so  thrilled  that  she  was  moved  to  ora- 
tory !  "  Girls,  I  know  some  day  we're  all  going  to  be 
great!  I  just  feel  it!  And  we'll  look  back  to  this 
afternoon  in  our,  youth  and  say " 

"  Steadfast !  "  giggled  Peggy. 


120  '  LARKSPUR 

"Tat!  Tat!  Tat!  Tat!" 

"Sh-h!    It's  Aunt  Pen!" 

Aunt  Pen,  deserted  below,  had  blackened  her  face 
and  put  on  her  head  a  bright  yellow  turban,  to  look 
as  nearly  as  possible  like  Aunt  Jemima  of  pancake 
fame!  Now  on  a  huge  tray  she  bore  a  plate  of 
doughnuts  and  a  pitcher  of  cider.  A  noisy  greeting 
welcomed  her  into  the  Eyrie ! 

That  night  Renee  was  wakened  by  Pat's  insistent 
call  in  her  ear.  The  lights  were  burning  and  Pat  was 
standing  over  her,  tragedy  written  in  every  line  of 
her  face.  Alarmed,  Renee  sat  bolt  upright,  her  eyes 
wide. 

"Sh-h!  Don't  be  frightened!  It's  just— I've 
lost  my  ballad !  " 

Renee  thought  she  must  be  dreaming — or  was 
Pat  stark  crazy  ? 

"  I  couldn't  sleep  and  I  was  thinking  I'd  change 
that '  long '  for '  carry,'  'cause  there' r  so  many  words 
rhyme  with  that — and  I  looked  in  my  pocket  and  it 
was  gone ! J> 

Renee  was  aghast  at  the  seriousness  of  the  loss ! 
Putting  on  their  slippers  they  stole  down  the  stairs 
and  made  a  thorough  search.  But  they  could  find 
no  trace  of  the  missing  ballad !  At  last  Renee  per- 
suaded the  disconsolate  Pat  to  go  back  to  bed. 


YOUNG  WINGS  121 

"Well,  I'll  just  have  to  write  it  again!"  she 
sighed,  digging  her  tired  head  into  the  pillow. 
"  Maybe  this  time  I'll  write  it  in  prose  'cause  it's 
such  a  bother  making  words  rhyme!  Only,  poets 
are  so  much  nicer  than  just  authors,  don't  you  think 
so,  Renee?  Renee " 

But  for  the  first  time  Renee  failed  to  meet  her 
friend  with  sympathetic  understanding — she  was 
soundly  sleeping ! 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  GAME 

"  RENEE  !  Aunt  Pen !  Guess! "  Pat  climbed 
the  stairs  two  steps  at  a  time. 

"  I'd  guess  that  you  had  been  running  every  inch 
of  the  way  home,"  laughed  Aunt  Pen,  for  Pat's 
cheeks  were  scarlet  from  the  outdoor  air  and  her 
hair  was  tumbling  down  about  her  ears. 

"  I  should  say  I  had !  Such  good  luck !  Or  "— 
she  attempted  to  correct  herself — "  of  course  it  isn't 
exactly  good  luck,  only — True  Scott  sprained  her 
ankle  and  I'm  to  play  guard  in  the  game  tomorrow !" 

"Oh,  Pat,  I'm  so  glad!  I  know  you'll  win!" 
and  Renee  looked  as  though  she  believed  that  the 
Yellowbirds  needed  only  Pat  as  one  of  their  guards 
to  rout  the  Wasps  in  an  overwhelming  defeat ! 

"  I'm  glad  you've  been  chosen  to  substitute,  for 
you  have  practiced  so  faithfully,"  declared  Aunt  Pen. 
"  It  is  hard  on  True,  though !  " 

"  Peggy  say8  tnat  maybe  it's  a  kind  Providence 
that  sprained  her  ankle,  'cause  True  didn't  play  as 
well  in  the  last  game!  Of  course,  as  Peg  says,  when 
you're  captain  of  a  team  you  can't  let  friendship  make 

122 


THE  GAME  123 

a  bit  of  difference!  And  she  says  if  I  play  all  right 
in  this  game  she  thinks  I'll  be  put  on  the  team !  You 
can  just  know  I'm  going  to  try  my  best!  " 

Aunt  Pen  had  decided  that  Renee  was  not  strong 
enough  as  yet  for  the  basketball  practice.  Sometimes 
she  went  with  Pat  to  the  gymnasium,  carefully  keep- 
ing out  of  the  way  of  the  players  but  watching  with 
interest  Pat's  progress  in  the  game;  more  often  she 
spent  the  hours  when  Pat  was  at  practice,  in  painting, 
working  out  new  designs  for  her  cards,  reading  or 
walking  with  Aunt  Pen.  Each  day  found  the  little 
girl  happier,  more  contented  in  her  new  home  and 
more  passionately  devoted  to  her  new  friends  who 
had  brought  into  her  life  a  wealth  of  affection  and 
interests  she  had  never  dreamed  could  exist.  Day 
by  day  Aunt  Pen  saw  the  fragile  body  develop  into 
girlish  strength  and  the  timid  spirit  gain  in  courage 
and  confidence.  The  shadow  of  her  sorrows  would 
never  completely  leave  her,  but  it  had  helped  in 
moulding  and  maturing  the  young  mind  and  strength- 
ening it  to  meet  whatever  the  future  held  for  her. 

Aunt  Pen  had  found  a  fascination  in  Renee' s 
quiet  company. 

"  One  gets  the  impression  that  never  a  word 
passes  her  lips  quickly!  Sometimes  she  makes  me 
feel  ashamed  of  my  impulsiveness!  "  Penelope  told 


i24  LARKSPUR 

her  brother  one  evening.  They  had  been  talking 
of  her  work  with  the  girls.  Mr.  Everett  had  asked : 

"  Well — is  our  larkspur  budding?" 

Aunt  Pen,  taking  his  question  very  seriously, 
had  answered  modestly :  "  I  don't  know  about  the 
Latin  and  Algebra  but  I  do  know  that  Pat  is  a 
healthier,  happier  girl  than  she  has  ever  been  before, 
and  we  may  feel  very  proud  of  Renee  when  we  turn 
her  over  to  Captain  Allan !  " 

Pat  was  not  there  to  see  the  color  flood  Aunt 
Pen's  face  as  she  said  these  last  words. 

"  We  ought  to  hear  from  him  soon !  I  hope  he 
has  been  able  to  find  out  more  concerning  the  child. 
I  do  not  like  to  question  her  too  closely — I  can  see 
that  it  makes  her  unhappy  and  homesick." 

Penelope  would  have  liked  to  have  asked  her 
brother  more  concerning  Renee' s  guardian  but  he 
began  to  talk  of  something  else.  Often,  as  she  and 
Renee  sat  or  walked  together,  she  allowed  to  creep 
into  her  thoughts  a  rosy  day-dream  of  that  time  when 
the  officer  would  come  to  claim  his  ward ! 

Pat  upset  her  entire  family  with  her  preparations 
for  the  all-important  game !  She  must  have  her  din- 
ner early  in  order  that  a  sufficient  time  for  proper 
digestion  might  elapse  before  her  bed  hour!  As 
authority  on  this  point  she  quoted  rules  which  seemed 


THE  GAME  125 

to  have  been  laid  down  by  their  tyrannical  captain. 
She  must  have  eggs,  too,  for  her  supper,  and  could 
not  dream  of  eating  the  steam  pudding,  rich  with 
dates  and  raisins,  which  Melodia  had  prepared.  It 
would  surely  lie  heavily  in  her  stomach,  make  her 
restless  all  night  and  stupid  and  sluggish  the  next 
day!  A  nice  custard — Pat  detested  custards — she 
must  have ! 

Then  for  ten  minutes  early  the  next  morning  the 
chandeliers  of  the  house  rattled  in  their  brackets  and 
the  pictures  danced  on  the  walls — not  an  earthquake, 
only  Pat,  guard  of  the  Yellowbirds,  "  just  loosening 
her  muscles  "  in  a  process  of  gymnastics  that  included 
everything  she  had  ever  heard  of! 

As  the  hour  of  the  game  approached  the  gym- 
nasium of  the  Lincoln  School  was  a-flutter  with  color 
and  noisy  with  life.  Enthusiastic  rooters  from 
Troop  Nine,  gaily  decked  with  the  green,  gold  and 
black  colors  of  the  Wasps,  were  packed  solidly  against 
one  side  of  the  room.  Equally  brilliant  and  boister- 
ous were  the  upholders  of  the  Yellowbir4s!  As 
they  sang  their  troop  songs  they  waved  small  yellow 
flags  and  strands  of  ribbon. 

An  older  girl  from  Troop  Nine  acted  as  umpire 
and  Captain  Ricky  as  referee.  Peggy's  face  was  a 
comical  mixture  of  sternness  and  entreaty  as  she 


126  LARKSPUR 

whispered  a  few  last  commands  to  her  team.  Pat, 
outwardly  proud  and  calm,  was  inwardly  quaking! 
What  if  she  should  fail  at  any  moment!  As  the 
game  began  she  was  seized  with  a  terrible  giddiness — 
the  room  swam  about  her,  she  saw  only  a  ridiculous 
composite  of  eyes  and  noses  and  mouths  and  color 
against  the  dancing  walls !  Her  f  ett  were  heavy  like 
lead  and  a  long  way  from  her ! 

Afterwards  Pat  could  not  have  told  at  what 
time  or  why  this  curious  sensation  left  her !  She  only 
knew  that  suddenly  everything  cleared  and  she  felt 
that  the  only  thing  in  the  whole  wide  world  that 
mattered  was  keeping  the  alert  forward,  whom  she 
was  guarding,  from  throwing  a  basket!  And  the 
faces  and  colors  that  had  whirled  a  moment  before 
faded  and  left  these  two  alone,  in  deadly  combat ! 

The  cheering  that  had  been  constant  suddenly 
ceased ;  the  circle  of  spectators  sat  with  bated  breath 
while  the  ball  passed  backward  and  forward,  now  a 
basket  thrown  for  the  Wasps,  in  another  moment 
one  for  the  Yellowbirds.  Occasionally  a  particu- 
larly good  play  would  bring  forth  a  loud  shout  only 
to  have  it  hushed  immediately  in  the  suspense  of 
watching.  Renee  and  Aunt  Pen  sat  side  by  side. 
Aunt  Pen  had  played  basketball  in  her  college  days ; 
now  she  watched  eagerly,  admiring  the  splendid 


THE  GAME  127 

guarding  of  the  Wasps  as  generously  as  Peggy's 
swift  center  work.  Renee  just  sat  very  still,  saying 
over  and  over  to  herself :  "  Oh — oh — oh !  "  with  her 
eyes  fastened  upon  Pat's  every  move! 

At  the  end  of  the  first  half  the  score  stood 
twenty-four  to  twenty-six  in  favor  of  the  Wasps. 
Peggy  had  a  whispered  word  with  Keineth  who  was 
playing  forward.  Her  guard  was  a  girl  a  head  taller 
than  she;  a  little  overwhelmed  by  this  Keine.th  had 
been  slow  in  one  or  two  of  her  plays ! 

The  second  half  went  on  with  quick,  even  play, 
that  now  and  then  drew  forth  shouts  of  approval 
from  the  spectators.  The  Yellowbirds  scored  four 
baskets  only  to  have  the  Wasps,  with  brilliant  team 
work,  recover  their  lead  with  four  baskets!  The 
Wasps'  center  shot  the  ball  with  a  low  throw  to  her 
forward.  As  she  caught  it  the  linekeeper  sharply 
pounded  the  floor  with  an  Indian  club.  "  Over  the 
line,"  the  referee  declared.  "  Yellowbirds  have  an 
unguarded  throw!"  Patricia  was  given  the  ball. 
Renee  shut  her  eyes — she  could  not  watch !  But  she 
knew  when  Aunt  Pen  sprang  to  her  feet  that  her  Pat 
had  not  failed.  With  a  movement  quick  as  lightning 
she  had  passed  the  ball  to  the  other  guard  who  in 
turn  had  shot  it  back  to  center!  And  while  Aunt 
Pen  was  still  on  her  feet  Peggy  had  thrown  it  to 


128  LARKSPUR 

Keineth  who,  with  a  low,  lithe  movement  of  her  body, 
ducked  the  wildly  waving  arms  of  her  guard  and 
threw  a  basket ! 

"A  tie!  Now  for  the  test!"  whispered  Aunt 
Pen,  clutching  Renee's  hand  so  hard  that  it  hurt. 

For  the  next  few  minutes  the  ball  passed  swiftly 
backward  and  forward,  the  guards  and  forwards 
leaped  and  ran!  Each  player,  keyed  to  the  utmost 
effort,  was  everywhere  at  once,  arms  waving,  eyes 
alert  to  the  slightest  advantage  or  weakness  in 
defense!  A  dreadful  stillness  held  the  room  broken 
only  by  the  occasional  low,  sharp  exclamations — like 
pistol  shots — of  the  players.  Peggy's  face  was  pale; 
again  and  again  Keineth  eluded  her  guard  only  to 
find  her,  in  a  second,  again  towering  before  her ! 

The  ball  passed  toward  the  Wasps'  basket; 
Patricia  caught  it  and  threw  it  toward  the  center; 
Sheila,  playing  side-center,  with  a  swift  leap,  gripped 
it  and  threw  it  to  Keineth.  But  Keineth' s  guard 
sent  it  hurtling  back  to  the  Wasps'  center!  While 
the  spectators,  conscious  that  this  was  the  last  and 
crucial  moment,  rose  to  their  feet  in  a  body,  the 
Wasps'  forward  caught  it  and,  swift  as  lightning, 
threw  it  backward  over  her  head  straight  down 
through  the  basket !  The  referee's  whistle  ended  the 
game — the  Wasps  had  won ! 


THE  GAME  129 

It  was  always  customary,  following  the  Troop 
games,  to  have  a  spread  for  the  contesting  teams. 
Almost  always  the  players  laid  aside  immediately 
all  joy  of  victory,  sting  of  defeat  and  bitterness  of 
contest  and  threw  themselves  heart  and  soul  into  a 
general  frolic!  But  this  afternoon  the  atmosphere 
was  charged  with  resentment !  While  the  triumph- 
ant Wasps  gathered  noisily  in  their  corner  the  Yel- 
lowbirds  sulked  in  another  part  of  the  room.  Captain 
Ricky  and  her  assistants  had  gone  to  prepare  the 
goodies.  There  was  no  one  to  check  the  rapidly 
rising  tide  of  complaint  and  criticism ! 

"  She  did  only  have  one  hand  on  the  ball — I 
could  swear  now !  "  "  The  line  watchers  weren't 
fair,  I  saw  her  foot  go  over !  "  and  "  She  just  shoved 
me !  "  "  Who'd  ever  expect  her  to  throw  over  her 
head ! "  and  "  I  saw  that  center  walk  three  whole 
steps  with  the  ball  and  the  umpire  never  called  a 
foul !  "  The  mutterings  grew  louder  and  the  word 
"  cheat  "  penetrated  to  the  corner. 

Captain  Ricky,  coming  into  the  room,  heard  it, 
too.  She  guessed  in  a  moment,  by  the  expression  of 
the  girls'  faces,  what  had  been  happening!  She 
drew  them  close  about  her. 

"  Girls!  Girls!  "  They  had  never  heard  just  that 
tone  in  their  captain's  voice.  "  What  is  this  spirit 


iso  LARKSPUR 

you  are  showing!  I  have  always  been  so  proud  of 
you — so  sure  of  you !  And  I  was  very  proud  to-day ! 
You  played  a  brilliant  game!  You  were  only 
defeated  because  the  other  team  played  even  a  better 
game!  If  each  one  of  you  feels  that  she  played 
her  very  best,  then  there  is  not  a  complaint  that  can 
be  made!  You  were  outplayed — and  just  because 
you  are  the  good  players  you  have  shown  yourselves 
to  be — why,  you  should  be  quick  and  generous  in 
your  praise  of  the  better  work  of  the  other  team ! 
I  am  disappointed,  my  scouts !  I  want  you  to  remem- 
ber always  that  I'd  lots  rather  have  you  good  losers — 
if  you've  done  your  best — than  winners !  If  you  will 
learn  that  it  will  help  you  years  from  now  when  you 
are  playing  more  serious  and  difficult  games  than 
basket-ball!  And  it  will  teach  you  to  turn  defeat 
into  a  real  blessing!  " 

The  Yellowbirds  had  stood  with  drooping  plum- 
age while  their  leader  spoke.  Each  one  was 
ashamed.  Peggy  was  the  first  to  speak.  Throwing 
back  her  dark  head  she  stalked  across  the  room  to 
where  Cora  Simmons,  who  had  played  center  for  the 
Wasps,  stood  in  a  group  of  Troop  Nine  scouts. 

"I'm  just  ashamed  of  myself!"  she  cried, 
"  'cause  I  didn't  shake  hands  with  you  the  moment 
the  game  was  over  and  tell  you  how  well  you 


THE  GAME  131 

played !  "  There  was  no  questioning  the  sincere  ring 
in  Peggy's  voice. 

The  other  Yellowbirds  followed  her  example, 
and  soon  there  was  a  babble  of  voices  going  over 
in  most  friendly  discussion  the  crucial  moments  of 
the  game.  Now  the  defeated  players  were  deter- 
mined that  there  should  be  no  stint  to  their  praise 
of  the  work  of  the  Troop  Nine  girls ! 

"Let's  have  a  cheer-ring!"  cried  Peggy,  and 
immediately  each  Yellowbird  caught  a  Wasp  by  the 
shoulder  and  formed  a  close  circle.  The  room  rang 
with  their  cheers ;  Troop  Six  cheered  for  Troop  Nine 
and  Troop  Nine  cheered  for  Troop  Six,  and  then 
they  all  cheered  for  the  Girl  Scouts ! 

Pat,  wanting  to  free  her  soul  before  her  whole 
world  of  whatever  guilt  might  lie  between  it  and 
Captain  Ricky's  approval,  loudly  clapped  her  hands 
and  demanded  that  they  all  listen  while  she  confessed 
to  them  that  she  was  sure  she  had  once  even  pinched 
the  forward  she  was  guarding  and  that  "  she  had 
been  a  perfect  peach  not  to  tell !  " 

Pat's  declaration  caused  peals  of  laughter  which 
quickly  burst  into  shouts  of  delight  when  Captain 
Ricky's  lieutenant  called  loudly  from  the  doorway, 
"  Eats! "  And  the  afternoon  ended  with  the  happi- 
ness and  contentment  found  in  good  fellowship ! 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   CHRISTMAS   PARTY 

CHRISTMAS  was  drawing  near  with  all  its  promise 
of  joy.  And  the  world  wrapped  for  so  long  in  the 
gloom  of  war,  took  on  a  new  gladness;  weeks  before 
the  holiday,  doors  and  windows  were  hung  with 
holly,  stores  spread  out  a  fascinating  array  of  gift- 
wares  ;  a  new  light  shone  in  smiling  faces  as  though 
"  Peace  on  earth  "  was  ringing  through  the  souls  of 
the  people ! 

Pat's  head  was  bursting  with  plans  for  the  blessed 
holiday.  It  must  be  a  different  Christmas  from  any 
Renee  had  ever  known !  For  days  they  had  busied 
themselves  preparing  the  box  that  had  gone  to  St. 
Cloud — a  dress  for  Susette  and  some  aprons  that 
Renee  herself  had  made,  tobacco  for  Gabriel  and 
warm  slippers  and  shoes  for  them  both ;  sugar,  coffee, 
and  canned  goods  and  dried  fruits  until  Renee  was 
sure  Susette's  neat  shelves  would  groan  under  their 
weight.  And  in  a  heart-shaped  silver  frame  a  pic- 
ture of  Renee! 

Pat  declared  that  they  must  have  a  Christmas 
tree,  for  Renee  had  never  had  one !  And  even  though 
132 


THE  CHRISTMAS  PARTY  133 

they  were  quite  grown-up  they  must  also  hang  up 
their  stockings !  Aunt  Pen  and  Daddy  promised  to 
hang  theirs,  too,  so  that  Pat  and  Renee  spent  many 
an  afternoon  in  secret  shopping  tours,  returning  with 
mysterious  packages  which  were  carefully  hidden 
away  in  the  Eyrie. 

Then  a  letter  from  the  south,  whose  usual  cheery 
tone  was  tinged  with  a  little  homesickness,  made  Mr. 
Everett  decide  to  join  his  wife  for  the  holiday  season. 
At  first  Pat  rebelled  stormily,  lamenting  that  his 
going  would  spoil  everything;  then  for  days  she 
sulked  like  a  naughty  child  until  Aunt  Pen  came  to 
the  rescue!  From  spending  the  afternoon  with 
Peggy  Lee's  mother,  Aunt  Pen  returned,  with  a 
"secret!" 

"  What  is  it,  Aunt  Pen?  Can  we  know?  "  the 
girls  asked  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  you  will  be  in  the  "  secret !  "  It's  a — real 
Christmas  party !  And  it  will  be  different  from  any 
you've  ever  heard  of  before!  I'll  tell  you  the  plans 
we  discussed  and  then  we'll  get  your  father's  per- 
mission. I  know  when  you  hear  all  about  it  you'll 
smile  again,  Miss  Pat,  and  declare  that  this  is  going 
to  be  the  best  Christmas  you've  ever  had — even  with 
Daddy  away !  " 

"  Will  the  party  be  here?  "  asked  Pat,  recalling 


i34  LARKSPUR 

on  the  instant  some  very  lovely  parties  given  for  her 
sister  which  she,  because  she  was  too  little  to  go 
downstairs,  had  had  to  watch  over  the  stair  banister. 

"  No,  I  don't  believe  the  house  would  be  big 
enough  for  this  one,"  and  Penelope  laughed  at  the 
mystified  expression  on  Pat's  face. 

Then  Aunt  Pen  unfolded  the  plans  she  and  Mrs. 
Lee  had  made.  The  girls  of  the  Troop  would  be  the 
hostesses  of  this  party  and  the  guests  would  be  the 
men,  women  and  children  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Works.  There  must,  of  course,  be  a  tree,  and  the 
girls  could  arrange  tableaux  and  then  everyone  could 
sing  and  dance!  And  there  would  be  sandwiches 
and  coffee  and  ice  cream  and  cake  and  a  gift  for 
each  one. 

Gradually  into  Pat's  face  crept  a  deep  interest 
so  that  when  the  last  small  detail  had  been  explained 
the  smile  that  Aunt  Pen  had  prophesied  came  back 
once  more.  It  would  be  a  wonderful  party,  and  could 
they  begin  planning  the  tableaux  right  away  and 
couldn't  they  run  over  this  very  minute  and  tell 
Sheila? 

So  that  Mr.  Everett's  going  made  scarcely  a  break 
in  the  exciting  preparations,  the  rehearsals,  the 
arranging  of  costumes,  the  planning  of  the  party 
"  supper  "  and  the  gifts  for  the  guests.  In  despera- 


THE  CHRISTMAS  PARTY  135 

tion  Aunt  Pen  declared  that  the  holidays  might  as 
well  begin  at  once  as  it  was  impossible  to  hold  Pat 
down  to  any  lessons !  And  Renee,  too,  was  working 
feverishly,  completing  a  rush  order  for  Christmas 
cards  that  had  come  to  "  LaDue  and  Everett  "  from 
Miss  Higgin's  tea  room ! 

On  Christmas  Eve  the  Eyrie  was  emptied  of  the 
treasures  it  had  held,  the  stockings  hanging  over 
the  library  fireplace  were  filled  and  little  piles  of 
tissue  paper  packages  of  all  sizes  were  made  for 
Jasper,  Melodia  and  Maggie.  The  rooms  were  filled 
with  a  spicy  odor  of  hemlock ;  holly  hung  over  win- 
dow and  door. 

"Oh,  isn't  it  fun?"  laughed  Pat,  stepping  back 
to  survey  the  bulging  stockings.  "  Can  you  guess 
what's  in  anything,  Ren?  And  don't  you  wish  you 
were  little  again  and  really  truly  believed  in  Santa 
Claus?" 

"  Susette  used  to  tell  me  stories  of  the  real  St. 
Nicholas — she  said  he  was  the  patron  saint  of 
children!" 

"  Well,  /  like  to  think  of  him  as  a  jolly  old  fellow 
driving  his  reindeers  faster'n  Watkins  can  drive  the 
car — and  lots  of  jingling  bells!  I  think  about  it  and 
then  I  can  most  hear  them !  " 

Renee  had  gone  to  one  of  the  windows  at  the 


136  LARKSPUR 

end  of  the  room  to  peer  out  into  the  darkness.  Snow 
had  fallen  which  dulled  the  sounds  of  the  city  to  a 
musical  tone  not  unlike  distant  bells  of  the  good 
Santa.  Suddenly  she  called  to  Pat : 

"  Come  and  look — over  at  Sheila's !  " 

There  on  the  strip  of  lawn  before  the  old  brick 
house  was  a  Christmas  tree,  hung  with  tinsel  and 
twinkling  with  lighted  candles  that  swayed,  and 
blinked  in  the  darkness. 

That  was  Mrs.  Quinn's  merry  Christmas!  She 
and  the  children  had  hung  ropes  of  tinsel,  red  and 
gold  balls,  sparkling  hearts  and  rings  and  little  can- 
dles out  on  the  old  spruce  that  grew  in  the  corner 
of  the  yard. 

"  To  give  to  any  poor  body  going  by  that  maybe 
hasn't  any  Christmas  just  a  bit  of  the  brightness! " 
she  had  explained. 

Renee,  watching  from  between  the  library  cur- 
tains, thought  it  very  beautiful !  It  was  like  a  fairy 
tree,  placed  there  in  the  darkness  by  spirit  hands, 
breathing  from  its  fragrant  brightness  a  joy  that  all 
could  share!  Even  at  that  moment  they  could  see 
a  bent  old  man,  leading  a  little  boy  by  the  hand, 
lingering  to  stare  at  the  twinkling  lights ! 

Many  years  before  this  the  Everett  Works  had 
been  moved  from  the  modest  factory  not  far  from 
the  Everett  home,  where  it  had  had  its  beginning,  to 


THE  CHRISTMAS  PARTY  137 

the  great  pile  of  steel  and  concrete  buildings  dis- 
tantly removed  from  the  business  center  of  the  city. 
Immediately  there  sprang  up  on  the  stretches  of 
fields  intervening  between  the  smoky  walls  of  the  new 
plant  and  the  quiet  shaded  streets  where  the  Lees  and 
the  Everetts  and  the  Randolphs  lived,  a  community 
of  small,  shapeless  houses,  one  exactly  like  the  other, 
divided  by  half -paved  streets  with  their  rows  of 
sickly  infant  elms  and  maples;  with  muddy  back- 
yards barricaded  by  miles  and  miles  of  clothes-line, 
and  thousands  of  window-panes  blackened  by  the 
incessant  rain  of  soot  from  the  belching  chimneys. 
Though  the  suburb  had  the  beautiful  name  of  River- 
view,  suggestive  of  cool  breezes  and  open  spaces,  it 
was  always  and  more  fittingly  known  as  "  The 
Neighborhood." 

To  the  hundreds  of  little  dingy  homes  had  come 
men,  women  and  children  from  every  land  of  the 
globe — here  Liberty  offered  them  asylum  and  the 
Everett  Works  an  honest  living.  In  the  center  of  the 
community  the  Works  had  erected  a  splendid  school- 
house  and  had  presented  it  to  the  city.  Although 
its  outer  walls  were  soon  stained  and  blackened  like 
the  rows  of  houses,  its  interior  was  as  fresh  and 
attractive  as  clean  paint,  pictures  and  many  growing 
plants  could  make  it!  Here  the  children  of  the  for- 


138  LARKSPUR 

eign-speaking  parents  were  taught  to  be  true  Ameri- 
cans. And  in  its  big  assembly  room,  whose  windows 
looked  out  over  the  rows  and  rows  of  railroad  tracks 
with  their  solid  wall  of  motionless  freight  cars,  to  the 
river  and  open  fields  beyond,  the  girls  of  Troop  Six 
held  their  Christmas  party. 

Even  before  the  last  holly  wreath  had  been  fast- 
ened in  place  the  guests  began  to  come — whole  fami- 
lies at  a  time,  in  holiday  attire  that  to  Pat  made  them 
look  like  pictures  in  some  fairy-tales ;  old  men  and  old 
women,  younger  men  with  hands  still  grimy  from 
their  work,  younger  women  with  tired  faces  and 
babies  in  their  arms ;  some  eager,  some  a  little  shy,  all 
smiling. 

Pat,  peeping  out  from  behind  the  curtain, 
declared  that  there  were  hundreds  there  and  that 
they  were  talking  in  every  language  known — except 
Latin!  But  when  some  one  at  the  piano  began  to 
play  "  America,"  in  some  way  or  other  the  strange 
words  melted  into  a  common  tongue — the  high  treble 
of  the  children  carrying  the  song  along! 

A  hush  fell  on  the  audience  when  the  curtains 
of  the  stage  slowly  parted  to  show  the  first  of  the 
tableaux.  Briefly  John  Randolph,  Keineth's  father, 
told  in  Polish  the  story  of  the  landing  of  the  Pil- 
grims on  "  the  stern  and  rockbound  coast "  while 


THE  CHRISTMAS  PARTY  139 

on  the  stage  the  Pilgrims,  with  painfully  suppressed 
laughter,  struggled  to  keep  the  Mayflower,  made 
out  of  old  canvas  and  chairs,  from  falling  to  pieces! 

The  next  picture  showed  the  early  colonists 
making  treaties  with  the  Indians.  Sheila,  grave  and 
dignified  in  Puritan  collar  and  hat,  was  holding  out 
strings  of  gay  beads  to  an  Indian  chief,  resplendent 
in  paint  and  feathers,  who  carried  over  his  arm  the 
hides  that  the  colonists  needed.  Then  in  simple 
words  Mr.  Randolph  explained  how  the  first  pur- 
chases of  land  in  the  United  States  came  about. 

Peggy  made  an  impressive  George  Washington 
at  Valley  Forge,  while  Garrett  Lee  and  some  of  his 
friends  sat  about  a  smouldering  camp-fire.  Again 
she  appeared  with  Betsey  Ross,  who  was  stitching 
on  the  first  American  flag,  which  part  Keineth  played. 
But  Washington's  dignified  manner  was  sadly  spoiled 
when  his  wig  suddenly  slipped  to  one  side,  so  that 
poor  Betsey  had  to  bite  her  lips  very  hard  to  keep 
from  giggling  at  his  rakish  appearance !  Neverthe- 
less the  audience — especially  the  children  who  recog- 
nized in  the  picture  a  favorite  school  story — clapped 
loudly  with  genuine  enthusiasm. 

The  last  tableau,  everyone  declared,  was  the  best 
of  all !  Captain  Ricky  was  America,  standing  in 
white  robes  against  a  big  American  flag,  her  arms 


140  LARKSPUR 

outstretched  to  the  eager  pilgrims  who  approached 
her!  And  these  were  dressed  in  the  national  cos- 
tumes of  almost  every  country  on  the  globe;  some 
had  approached,  apparently,  with  brave  step,  heads 
high  and  shoulders  straight,  others  had  come  wearily ; 
some  were  old  and  some  were  young ;  many  had  been 
carrying  heavy  burdens  which  they  had  cast  aside. 
And  from  the  wrists  of  each  hung  the  broken  links 
of  the  shackles  that  had  bound  them ! 

The  tableau  told  its  own  story !  For  a  moment 
there  was  a  hushed  silence,  then  a  mighty  applause 
shook  the  room.  And  Captain  Ricky,  as  though  she 
indeed  embodied  the  gracious  spirit  of  America, 
smiled  back  from  the  stage  at  the  men  and  women 
who,  like  the  pilgrims  in  the  picture,  had  come  to  this 
land  of  freedom ! 

After  this  tableau  the  curtains  at  the  back  of 
the  stage  were  drawn  back,  displaying  a  beautiful 
Christmas  tree,  trimmed  only  by  the  many  lights 
half -concealed  in  its  branches  and  by  a  huge,  gleam- 
ing star  at  its  top.  Some  of  the  scouts  at  one  corner 
of  the  stage  began  a  simple  Christmas  carol — the 
guests  took  it  up,  humming  where  they  could  not 
speak  the  words.  A  group  of  young  men  broke 
into  a  Polish  song ;  other  songs  followed — songs  that 
these  people  had  brought  with  them  across  the  sea. 


THE  CHRISTMAS  PARTY  141 

"  They  are  more  beautiful  than  ours ! "  cried 
Keineth  to  her  father. 

Then,  under  Captain  Ricky's  direction,  the  trim- 
ming of  the  tree  began.  This  was  a  surprise  even 
to  the  girls  of  the  Troop,  who  sat  with  bright  eyes 
watching.  For  each  one  in  the  room  who  had  had 
a  son,  a  brother,  a  husband  or  a  father  in  the  service 
of  the  country,  was  given  a  silver  star  to  hang  upon 
the  branches  of  the  tree.  One  by  one  they  went  up — 
at  first  shyly,  then  proudly ;  bent  old  men  with  uncer- 
tain step,  young  wives,  blushing,  with  children  tug- 
ging at  their  skirts ;  old  women,  scarcely  understand- 
ing it  all  but  eager  to  hang  their  symbol,  until  the  tree 
was  a-twinkle  with  the  gleaming  stars ! 

From  long  tables  in  one  of  the  classrooms  adjoin- 
ing steaming,  fragrant  coffee  in  big  cups  and  turkey 
and  chicken  sandwiches  were  served,  then  ice  cream 
and  cake.  Everyone  talked  at  once — the  children 
ran  round  in  complete  abandonment  to  the  joy  of 
the  moment;  some  of  the  guests,  too  excited  to  eat, 
had  already  begun  the  dancing ! 

And  Mrs.  Lee  and  Aunt  Pen  were  busy  distribut- 
ing among  them  all  the  small  silk  American  flags 
which  were  the  gifts  of  the  evening ! 

"It's  the  best  party  ever''  Pat  stopped  long 
enough  in  a  whirling  dance  to  whisper  to  Aunt  Pen. 


i42  LARKSPUR 

"  Where's  Renee?  "  Aunt  Pen  answered. 

After  a  moment's  search  she  found  her  alone 
behind  the  big  tree.  She  was  fastening  upon  one 
of  the  branches  her  silver  star!  Tears  dampened 
her  cheeks. 

"  Oh — my  dear! "  cried  Aunt  Pen.  Over  her 
swept  the  realization  of  what  Renee  had  given  that 
"  peace  might  come  upon  this  world !  "  She  caught 
the  small  hand  and  held  it. 

"  Not  there,"  she  whispered,  "  but  here! "  and 
taking  the  star  she  hung  it  close  to  the  big  Star  at 
the  top. 

"  He  gave  his  Son  for  us,  too,"  she  added  softly. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

HILL-TOP 

"  PICNICS,"  explained  Peggy,  with  a  conviction 
born  of  experience,  "  are  just  as  much  fun  in  the 
winter  as  they  are  in  the  summer,  'specially  when 
they  are  at  Hill-top !  " 

For  the  four  days  following  Christmas  snow  had 
fallen  steadily.  Each  moment  of  the  holiday  time 
had  been  filled  with  out-of-door  fun :  now  Mrs.  Lee 
had  suggested  that — as  a  sort  of  climax — the  Eagle 
Patrol  have  a  picnic  at  Hill-top! 

Pat  had  never  heard  of  a  picnic  in  the  middle  of 
the  winter ! 

But  Peggy's  enthusiasm  was  contagious!  Hill- 
top— Pat  had  never  been  there — was  a  very  old  farm- 
house ten  miles  from  the  city,  back  in  the  hills  near 
Camp  Wichita,  where  Captain  Ricky  took  her  girls 
in  the  summer-time.  It  belonged  to  an  old  man  and 
his  wife  who  had  been  friends  of  Mrs.  Lee's  father. 
During  the  winter  months  they  preferred  to  move 
into  a  more  sheltered  cottage  nearer  the  barns.  The 
house — a  short  walk  from  the  lake  on  which  the 
young  people  skated  in  the  winter  and  canoed  in  the 

J43 


144  LARKSPUR 

summer — had  great  square  rooms  and  many  of  them, 
warmed  by  fire-places  like  caverns  that  consumed 
whole  logs  at  a  time.  Often  Mrs.  Lee,  who  found 
real  recreation  in  such  little  excursions  with  her 
young  people — had  taken  the  girls  and  boys  there 
for  week-end  picnics ! 

"  Mother  says  we  may  stay  three  whole  days  this 
time !  We  can  skate  and  coast  and  have  all  kinds  of 
fun !  Garrett  has  a  new  bob  that  he  made  and  he 
says  he'll  bet  anything  it  can  beat  all  the  others." 

"  Do  the  boys  go,  too?  "  broke  in  Pat. 

"  Oh,  yes,  mother  likes  to  have  them  go !  They 
help  a  lot,  you  see,  and  she  says  it  wouldn't  be  nearly 
as  much  fun  if  they  weren't  along.  Jim  Archer 
and  Bob  Slocum  and  Ted  Scott  and  maybe  Wynne 
Meade  will  go — and  Garrett !  They're  sort  of  fun !  " 
for  Peggy  read  disappointment  in  Pat's  face. 

"  /  think  boys  are  a  nuisance!  " 

Sheila  came  promptly  to  the  defense.  "  Per- 
haps— sometimes !  But  brothers  are  nice !  " 

Pat's  experience  had  been  limited  to  the  bashful 
young  brothers,  miserable  with  too  much  scrubbing 
and  stiff  collars,  who  had  occasionally  visited  the 
other  girls  at  school. 

Peggy  thought  it  a  decided  waste  of  time  to  be 
bothering  over  such  a  point  when  there  was  so  much 


HILL-TOP  145 

to  plan  and  do !  So,  with  a  conviction  intended  to 
end  the  discussion,  she  said:  "  Well,  they  carry  the 
logs  and  the  water  and  go  out  and  open  the  house 
and  I  guess  we'll  find  them  mighty  useful !  " 

And,  indeed,  Pat  was  to  find  one  of  the  boys 
more  than  useful  before  the  picnic  was  over ! 

A  few  hours'  well-organized  activity  put  every- 
thing in  readiness  for  the  house-party.  Garrett  Lee 
appointed  himself  chief  of  the  commissary  and  flew 
tirelessly  between  his  home  and  the  grocery  store 
until  he  had  assembled  enough  cans  of  soup,  bacon, 
weiners  and  other  eatables  peculiar  to  scouts'  appe- 
tites to  feed  a  regiment !  Sheila  and  Mrs.  Lee,  after 
a  brief  consultation,  added  to  the  equipment  many 
little  necessities  that  Garrett  in  his  masculine  igno- 
rance had  overlooked.  Two  of  the  other  girls  col- 
lected the  necessary  kitchen  utensils  and  a  simple 
first-aid  kit.  Loaded  down  with  all  these  and  with 
extra  blankets  and  the  bobs,  the  boys  and  Mrs.  Lee 
went  on  out  to  Hill-top  a  day  in  advance  to  open 
the  house  and  prepare  it  for  the  others. 

Pat,  inspired  by  the  activities  of  the  others  and 
not  having  been  pressed  into  troop  service,  busied 
herself  by  packing  and  repacking  almost  every  gar- 
ment that  she  and  Renee  possessed! 

Patsy,  dear,  you  won't  need  all  those  things," 

10 


H6  LARKSPUR 

Aunt  Pen  had  laughed,  pointing  to  the  bulging 
suitcase. 

Pat  admitted  this.  "  Well,  it's  fun  packing  'em 
and  I  just  had  to  do  something,"  she  confessed. 

The  next  day  eight  merry  girls  boarded  the  funny 
little  train  that  puffed  off  slowly  toward  the  hills. 
To  Renee  the  picnic  was  the  most  exciting  of  adven- 
tures! She  had  seen  little  snow — never  in  her  life 
anything  like  the  great  piles,  snowy  white,  through 
which  the  train  was  snorting  its  way !  She  had  never 
had  on  a  pair  of  skates  in  her  life,  nor  had  she  ever 
coasted  down  a  hill !  And  as  Peggy  told  of  Garrett's 
new  bob,  "  Madcap,"  and  its  lightning  speed,  she 
shivered  with  an  ecstasy  of  fear  and  wondered — if 
they  made  her  ride  on  it — what  it  would  feel  like  to 
fly  over  the  snow  and  whether  she  might  not  just 
die  outright  of  terror! 

The  boys,  in  rollicking  spirits  and  muffled  to  the 
tips  of  their  noses,  met  them  at  the  station ;  together 
they  trudged  back  through  the  snow  to  the  farm- 
house. Logs  were  crackling  merrily  in  the  big  fire- 
places and  a  table  had  been  spread  ready  for  an  early 
supper.  The  girls  fell  to  unpacking  the  equipment 
and  spreading  their  blankets  over  the  funny  old  beds 
and  the  cots  which  had  been  brought  up  from  the 
nearby  camp.  Sheila,  who  had  been  appointed 


HILL-TOP  147 

officer-in-charge,  promptly,  in  accordance  with  the 
custom  of  scout  outings,  posted  in  a  conspicuous 
place,  the  "  standing  rules." 

"  Oh,  they're  the  kind  of  rules  any  good  scout'll 
keep,"  Peggy  exclaimed  to  Pat,  who  was  regarding 
the  slip  of  paper  in  amazement  with  a  look  on  her 
face  that  said  plainly  "  this  is  the  funniest  picnic 
I  ever  knew !  "  "  Come  on  and  find  the  others !  " 

For  supper  they  ate  many  baked  potatoes  and 
weiners  and  hot  biscuits,  which  Mrs.  Lee  had  mixed 
and  baked  by  magic — "  just  to  have  a  nice  begin- 
ning !  "  At  the  table  the  boys  announced  the  schedule 
for  the  skating  and  coasting  races  which  they  had 
planned  for  the  next  day  and  fell  to  arguing  with 
friendly  violence  over  the  speed  of  their  different 
bobs !  Garrett  then  insisted  that  the  four  who  had 
grabbed  the  last  of  the  biscuits  should  make  up  the 
Kitchen  Police,  whose  duty  it  would  be  to  clear 
away  the  supper  dishes !  And  to  the  accompaniment 
of  a  mighty  rattle  of  china  plates  and  cups  the  others 
gathered  around  the  blazing  fire  and  sang. 

Pat  and  Renee  slept  together  in  a  huge  four- 
posted  bed.  Gradually  the  big  house  had  grown 
very  quiet.  "  Isn't  it  fun?  "  Pat  giggled  into  Renee's 
ear.  "  I've  never  been  in  the  country  in  the  winter- 
time before!  And  doesn't  it  feel  queer  sleeping 


148  LARKSPUR 

without  sheets?"  Then  she  sighed.  "I  wish  I 
could  skate  well!"  She  was  thinking  of  the  races 
planned  for  the  morrow.  Renee  was  apprehensive, 
too.  "  Do  you  suppose  they'll  make  me  go  down 
on  one  of  those  dreadful  bobs?  "  and  she  shuddered 
at  the  very  thought! 

Poor  Pat,  her  pride — cropping  up  now  and  then 
— was  her  besetting  sin!  And  the  next  morning, 
when  she  should  have  been  gloriously  happy,  it  mas- 
tered her!  She  hated  t^he  races,  because  she  was 
always,  lagging*,  along  in  the  rear !  She  declared  to 
herself  that  the  boys  were  silly,  tiresome  stupids, 
because  they  made  such  a  fuss  when  Peggy  beat 
them  all  in  a  race  down  the  lake  and  back !  Finally, 
disgusted,  she  took  off  the  hateful  skates  and  joined 
Renee  near  the  bank. 

"  I  think  they're  stupid,"  she  grumbled,  digging 
her  heel  into  the  ice  and  not  explaining  whether  she 
meant  the  boys,  or  the  skates  or  the  races ! 

The  coasting  in  the  afternoon  comforted  her  a 
little !  Jim  Archer  let  her  steer  his  "  Gypsy !  "  They 
beat  Garrett's  "  Madcap  "  and  Pat  secretly  rejoiced 
at  Garrett's  chagrin! 

Renee,  from  the  top  of  the  long  hill,  had  watched 
the  flight  of  the  bobs  with  trembling  fascination. 

"  Come  along  on  Madcap,"  Garrett  had  called 


SHE     HATED    THE    RACES,    BECAUSE     SHE     WAS     ALWAYS     TAGGING     ALONG 
IN    THE   REAR  ! 


HILL-TOP  149 

out.  The  three  girls  on  it  waved  entreatingly  to  her. 
She  had  not  the  courage  to  refuse!  White  with 
terror  she  slipped  in  between  Garrett  and  Peggy. 
The  others  shouted  wildly  as  the  bob  began  to  move 
slowly  down  the  hill  but  poor  Renee's  breath  caught 
in  her  throat.  As  it  went  faster  and  faster  she  hid 
her  face  against  Garrett's  wooly  back. 

"Hang  on!"  cried  Peggy  behind  her.  Renee 
was  certain  they  were  flying !  But  just  as  she  felt  she 
must  die  with  terror  a  wild  "  hurrah  "  went  up,  she 
opened  her  eyes — they  were  sliding  over  the  ice  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill  and  the  Madcap  had  won ! 

And  to  Renee's  utter  amazement  she  wanted  to 
go  down  again — right  away! 

Afterwards  Garrett  let  her  steer  the  bob,  and 
although  they  ended  in  a  snowdrift  and  were  almost 
buried  in  the  soft  snow,  it  did  not  in  any  way  dampen 
her  enthusiasm  over  the  new  sport  she  had  learned ! 

"  Oh,  it  was  wonderful! "  she  exclaimed  to  Pat 
as  they  walked  with  the  others  toward  Hill-top. 
"  I  thought  I'd  be  so  frightened  and  I  wasn't! " 

"Jim  Archer's  bob  is  much  the  best,"  Pat 
answered  in  such  a  disagreeable  voice  that  Renee 
looked  at  her  in  hurt  astonishment!  How  could 
there  be  enough  difference  in  two  bobs  to  make  Pat 
speak  to  her  in  that  tone ! 


ISO  LARKSPUR 

However,  hot  oyster  soup  and  pancakes  scattered 
for  a  time  the  little  cloud  that  threatened  and  through 
the  meal  Pat's  voice  was  as  merry  as  the  merriest. 
After  supper,  leaving  the  Kitchen  Police  to  their  sad 
lot,  the  others  again  donned  caps,  sweaters  and  mit- 
tens and  fell  to  building  in  front  of  the  old  farm- 
house door  two  great  snow  forts,  between  which,  in 
the  morning,  a  mighty  battle  would  be  waged ! 

And  Jim  Archer,  one  of  the  self-appointed  gen- 
erals, asked  Pat — before  he  asked  any  of  the  others 
— to  be  on  his  side ! 

This  was  balm  to  Pat's  hurt  vanity.  Perhaps 
she  couldn't  skate  as  well  as  the  others,  but  she 
guessed  Jim  Archer  knew  she  could  throw  a  snow- 
ball as  straight  and  as  hard  as  any  boy !  Anyway, 
Garrett  Lee  was  too  conceited !  So  that  night,  as  she 
slept  cuddled  down  in  the  big  four-posted  bed,  she 
dreamed  that  she  stood  alone  on  the  frosty  breast- 
work of  the  fort  she  had  helped  build  and  by  an 
onslaught  of  snowballs,  thrown  with  unerring  aim, 
drove  Garrett  Lee  and  his  army  to  complete  and 
ignominious  surrender! 

Poor  Pat — the  next  day  was  to  bring  to  her  pride 
a  sad  fall! 


CHAPTER  XV 

PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL 

THE  next  morning  a  bright  sun  peeped  up  over 
the  hills  touching  field  and  lake,  trees  and  house- 
tops with  a  frost  of  diamonds.  At  an  early  hour 
hungry  boys  and  girls  were  demanding  their  break- 
fast "  quick  "  and  were  hurling  orders  over  the  ban- 
ister at  the  sleepy;  Kitchen  Police,  toiling  below. 

The  snow-ball  fight  ended  in  a  complete  rout 
of  Garrett's  army,  which  put  Pat  in  high  spirits, 
and,  although  it  had  not  been  quite  like  her  dream 
of  the  night  before,  Jim  Archer  had  said  to  her, 
to  her  secret  joy : 

"  Say,  you  throw  as  good  as  a  boy !  " 

The  remainder  of  the  morning  was  spent  playing 
hockey  and  coasting;  the  boys  allowing  the  girls  to 
race  the  bobs  down  the  hill.  Renee,  quite  by  herself, 
steered  the  beautiful  Madcap  twice  to  victory!  Per- 
haps never  in  her  lite  had  she  felt  so  keenly  alive 
or  so  happy !  She  stood  looking  over  the  little  lake 
and  the  surrounding  hills  and  'drawing  in  long 
breaths  of  the  frosty  air.  Its  keenness  made  her 
cheeks  and  fingertips  tingle,  put  a  ringing  note  in  the 


iSa  LARKSPUR 

youthful  voices  around  her  and  an  added  brightness 
into  happy  eyes! 

"  Let's  all  just  skate  this  afternoon — no  races 
or  anything  like  that!  "  declared  Peggy  at  luncheon 
and  the  suggestion  met  with  instant  approval. 

"  Oh,  don't  you  wish  we  were  just  coming?  Did 
you  ever  know  days  to  go  by  so  fast?  "  lamented  one 
of  the  others. 

"  This  hasn't  gone  by  yet !  To-night  we're  going 
to  toast  marshmallows !  "  put  in  Bob  Slocum. 

"  And  have  a  good  sing !  We  always  end  a  pic- 
nic that  way !  "  explained  Peggy  to  Pat 

"  And  breakfast  bright  and  early  to-morrow,  so 
that  we  will  be  all  packed  in  time  for  the " 

"  Lightning  mail  train ! "  Garrett  added  to  his 
mother's  injunction. 

Mrs.  Lee  was  never  happier  than  when  she  was 
with  her  "  boys  and  girls ! "  She  loved  each  and 
every  one  of  them  as  though  they  had  all  been  hers 
from  babyhood.  She  watched  them  now  as  they 
trooped  away  toward  the  lake,  skates  jingling  over 
their  arms.  Something  within  her  quivered  with 
pardonable  pride  as  her  eyes  rested  for  a  moment  on 
Garrett's  manly  young  figure  striding  on  ahead  of 
the  others.  And  when  Peggy's  voice,  always  boy- 
ishly loud,  reached  her  ears  as  she  shouted  back  to 


PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL  153 

one  of  the  other  girls,  her  mother  shook  her  head 
and  laughed:  "  Oh,  Peggy  child,  what  a  tomboy!  " 

For  Pat  the  skating  was  much  more  fun,  now, 
when  there  were  no  races !  More  accustomed  to  her 
skates  she  managed  to  get  over  the  ice  in  better 
and  easier  fashion  than  she  had  on  the  day  before. 
She  was  pleasantly  conscious,  too,  that  she  made  a 
rather  pretty  picture  in  her  scarlet  sweater  and  tam- 
o'-shanter — several  of  the  girls  had  declared  that 
they  were  going  to  immediately  make  red  tarns ! 

"  Let's  have  a  turn,  Pat ! "  and  Garrett  Lee 
extended  twro  warmly  mittened  hands  in  genial  invi- 
tation. So  Pat  linked  her  arms  with  his  and  together 
they  flew  over  the  glittering  stretch.  With  her  bal- 
ance supported  by  Garrett's  strong  grasp  she  skated 
easily;  as  they  sped  along  down  the  length  of  the 
lake  the  wind  whipped  her  breath  and  sent  the  blood 
bounding  through  her  veins ! 

At  the  end  of  the  lake  they  stopped  "  to  take  in 
air,"  as  Garrett  put  it. 

"  Let's  skate  down  there,"  cried  Pat,  pointing  to 
the  Inlet  just  beyond.  There  a  narrow  gorge,  cut- 
ting deeply  through  the  hillsides,  let  into  the  lake. 
Garrett  knew  that,  because  of  its  steep  banks,  its 
changing  depths  of  water  and  strong  eddies,  the 
ice  there  was  very  unsafe. 


iS4  LARKSPUR 

"  Oh,  no,  it's  dangerous  there !  We  never  go 
into  the  Inlet,  even  in  the  summer !  That's  a  rule !  " 

Poor  Pat — she  fancied  Garrett  was  treating  her 
like  a  little  child !  So  she  answered  with  a  toss  of 
her  head : 

"  I  haven't  bothered  to  read  the  rules!  I'm  not 
afraid — if  you  are!"  and  she  turned  toward  the 
Inlet. 

"  Pat — don't !    It  isn't  safe— honest !  " 

The  more  earnest  and  concerned  Garrett  grew 
the  more  headstrong  Pat!  She  started  toward  the 
Inlet,  calling  over  her  shoulder :  "  Oh,  you're  just 
a  'fraidy-cat' ! " 

Garrett  watched  her  for  a  moment.  There  was 
no  doubting  her  intention!  He  started  after  her 
and  at  the  mouth  of  the  Inlet  overtook  her. 

"  Pat,"  he  begged,  "  mother'll  be  angry !  I  tell 
you  it's  one  of  the  rules!  " 

But  Pat  simply  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  Dare  you  to  come  with  me,  little  boy !  "  she 
laughed  teasingly.  The  Inlet,  its  banks  rising  steeply 
on  each  side,  filled  with  dancing  shadows  made  by 
the  sun  through  the  bare  branches  meeting  overhead, 
looked  very  inviting!  Thrilled  with  a  sense  of 
adventure,  Pat  skated  with  short  strokes  into  the 
narrow  opening. 


PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL  155 

Garrett  had  no  choice  but  to  follow  her !  Deeply 
alarmed,  he  again  begged  her  to  turn  back!  Now 
she  pretended  not  to  hear  him ! 

But  in  a  few  moments  she  suddenly  screamed  and 
wildly  waved  her  arms!  At  a  bend  in  the  narrow 
gorge  the  ice  had  cracked  under  her  weight ! 

"  Garrett !  "  she  cried,  turning. 

"  Go  on!  Keep  moving!  "  he  shouted.  But  Pat, 
terror-stricken,  stood  still,  stretching  out  her  arms 
imploringly.  Garrett  reached  her  just  as  the  ice 
with  a  sharp  crackle  broke  into  pieces,  dropping 
them  both  into  the  water. 

Its  iciness  for  a  moment  stunned  Pat.  Then 
she  slowly  realized  that  Garrett  was  supporting  her 
with  one  arm  and  begging  her  to  cling  to  the  thin 
edge  of  the  ice,  to  which  he  was  holding  with  his 
other  hand.  His  steady  voice  gave  her  courage! 
She  tried  to  say  something  but  her  teeth  only  chat- 
tered together. 

"  We'll  get  out  all  right !  "  Garrett  said,  hope- 
fully. "  Hold  on  as  lightly  as  you  can !  " 

"  Oh,  don't  let  go  of  me — don't  let  go  of  me !  " 
implored  Pat,  wanting  to  cry. 

"  I  won't !  Keep  up  your  nerve !  "  And  Garrett 
strengthened  his  hold  under  Pat's  arm.  He  looked 
about  him.  From  a  tree  growing  out  of  the  bank 


156  LARKSPUR 

stretched  a  bare  limb  just  a  little  way  out  of  reach. 

"  We'll  work  along  slowly  until  you  can  reach 
that  branch !  Take  it  easy,  Pat !  " 

He  began  moving  his  grasp  on  the  edge  of  the 
ice,  slowly,  cautiously,  for  sometimes  it  cracked,  send- 
ing terror  to  Pat's  soul !  She  recalled  hearing  some- 
one tell  how  very  deep  the  water  was  in  the  Inlet! 
And  it  was  so  black  and  cold ! 

"  Come  on !  We'll  make  it ! "  he  called  out 
cheerily.  They  drew  nearer  and  nearer  the  branch ; 
soon  Pat  could  reach  it. 

"  Now  let  go  of  the  ice  and  grab  it !  I'll  hold 
you!" 

"  Oh  no,  no !  "  implored  Pat,  clinging  tighter. 

"You've  got  to,  Pat!     It's  our  only  chance!" 

* 

Summoning  all  the  strength  he  had  in  his  fine  young 
body  he  lifted  her  as  he  spoke!  The  effort  made 
great  veins  swell  on  his  forehead.  With  a  gasp  of 
terror  she  caught  and  clung  with  both  arms  to  the 
branch. 

"  Get  your  legs  around  it,  too,"  directed  Garrett. 
"  Now  work  yourself  along!  Hurry,  Pat!  " 

Stung  into  effort  Pat  with  feverish  haste  did  as 
he  told  her.  Securing  her  hold  on  the  branch  by 
locking  her  strong  legs  about  it  she  gradually  swung 
around  until  she  was  astride  it.  Then  it  was  but 


PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL  157 

a  moment's  work  to  edge  along  to  the  bank.  Grasp- 
ing the  strong  roots  of  the  undergrowth  she  pulled 
herself  to  the  top.  She  wanted  dreadfully  then  to 
throw  herself  down  upon  the  ground  and  cry,  but 
a  sharp  noise  below  made  her  turn  suddenly. 

Garrett  had  attempted  to  lift  himself  upon  the 
branch.  Strained  by  Pat's  weight,  under  his  it 
snapped  off,  dropping  him  back  into  the  water. 

"  Garrett !  "  screamed  Pat.  In  agony  she  watched 
for  his  head  to  reappear  at  the  surface  of  the  water. 
As  he  came  up  he  again  caught  the  edge  of  the  ice, 
but  his  face  was  gray  and  drawn  as  though  by  sharp 
pain  and  his  breath  came  and  went  in  short  gasps. 
She  called  him  vainly  over  and  over  but  he  could  not 
seem  to  muster  enough  strength  to  answer!  She 
fancied,  in  her  terror,  that  his  fingers  were  slipping 
in  their  hold  of  the  ice. 

It  was  her  turn  to  direct! 

"  Garrett,  move  down !    See,  the  tree's  across  the 
ice!    Maybe  it'll  hold!  Oh,  Garrett,  try!" 

With  a  slow,  cramped  movement  he  worked 
along  the  edge  of  the  rapidly  enlarging  hole  until 
he  could  grasp  the  broken  branch  which  stretched 
now  across  the  dark  water,  one  end  firmly  held  in  a 
crack  of  the  ice  where  it  had  buckled  near  the  bank. 
Strengthened  by  desperation  Garrett  managed  to 


i58  LARKSPUR 

crawl  along  it  until  he  reached  the  bank.  As, 
numbed  by  exposure,  he  struggled  to  lift  himself 
up  the  steep  side  of  the  gorge,  clinging  for  support, 
as  Pat  had  done,  to  roots  and  branches,  repeatedly 
slipping  back,  it  seemed  to  Pat  as  though  he  could 
not  make  it !  At  last  her  own  frantic  hands  dragged 
him  over  the  top  to  safety,  only  to  have  him  drop 
in  an  unconscious  heap  at  her  feet ! 

All  Pat  knew  was  that  whatever  she  had  to  do 
she  must  do  quickly!  Loosening  the  straps  of  her 
skates  she  threw  them  from  her !  Then  she  attempted 
to  lift  him.  He  was  too  heavy — she  could  not  stag- 
ger a  step  with  his  weight  in  her  arms.  So  as  gently 
as  she  could  she  dragged  him  over  the  soft  snow  to  a 
higher  point  of  open  ground  from  which  she  could 
see  the  lake  and  the  skaters  and  the  farmhouse ! 

"  Girls !  Girls !  Jim !  "  she  called  frantically. 
They  could  not  hear — only  the  echo  of  her  own  voice 
answered. 

"  What  will  I  do  ?  "  she  cried.  She  tore  off  her 
bright  tam-o'-shanter  and  waved  it  high  in  the  air! 
Suddenly  she  saw  one  of  the  girls  detach  herself 
from  a  group  of  skaters  and  wave  back ! 

An  inspiration  seized  Pat !  The  semaphore  code 
she  had  learned !  Oh,  could  she  remember  it  quickly 
enough?  And  poor  Garrett  himself  had  taught  her ! 


PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL  159 

Snatching  off  her  sweater  she  waved  that  in  one 
hand  and  her  tarn  in  the  other  and  slowly  signaled : 

"  Accident — bring  bobs — blankets — quick !  " 

It  seemed  to  Pat  as  though  they  would  never 
answer!  She  waved  her  message  again — more 
slowly!  Then  one  of  the  boys  waved  back: 
"  Coming." 

Now  Pat  began  to  cry — tears  that  left  cold 
streaks  on  her  own  cheeks  and  splashed  in  a  warm 
shower  on  Garrett's  face  as  she  knelt  over  him.  He 
slowly  opened  his  eyes  and  whispered,  "  All  right, 
Pat?  "  Then,  as  though  very  tired,  he  closed  them 
again  and  lapsed  back  into  unconsciousness. 

There  was  no  more  merriment  at  Hill-top !  The 
boys  brought  Garrett,  wrapped  in  blankets,  on  one  of 
the  bobs  to  the  door  of  the  farmhouse  where  his 
mother,  warned  of  the  accident,  awaited  him.  No 
one  would  let  poor  Pat  tell  her  story — there  was  too 
much  to  be  done !  While  Mrs.  Lee  and  Sheila  cared 
for  Garrett,  the  girls  gave  Pat  a  hot  bath  and  a 
vigorous  rub  and  put  her  to  bed.  And  Jim  Archer 
flew  to  the  nearest  telephone  to  summon  a  doctor  and 
nurse  from  the  city. 

Garrett  was  very,  very  ill!  Weakened  by  the 
exposure  and  strain  he  quickly  developed  pneumonia. 
The  doctor  would  not  let  him  be  moved,  he  must 


160  LARKSPUR 

remain  at  Hill-top!  Mrs.  Lee,  brave  with  all  her 
anxiety,  begged  the  boys  and  girls  to  go  back  to  the 
city  quietly,  not  to  worry,  but  to  hope  for  Garrett's 
quick  recovery!  Sheila  and  Jim  Archer  she  kept 
with  her  to  help  her.  At  the  earliest  possible  moment 
came  Mr.  Lee  with  a  trained  nurse. 

Pat,  none  the  worse  for  her  icy  bath  of  the  day 
before,  lingered  behind  the  others  and  miserably 
begged  for  a  parting  word  with  Mrs.  Lee. 

"  It  was  all  my  fault,"  she  whispered,  bursting 
into  tears.  "  I  called  him  a  fraidy-cat  and  went  on, 
just  so's  he'd  follow " 

Though  Mrs.  Lee  took  the  girl  in  her  arms,  her 
face  was  very  grave.  But  she  guessed  the  suffering 
in  Pat's  heart,  so  she  spoke  kindly. 

"  Child,  I  am  glad  he  didn't  leave  you !  You 
must  help  us  fight  for  him  now  and — well,  he  just 
must  get  well !  "  For  a  moment  she  could  not  keep 
her  own  tears  back ;  then  she  resolutely  wiped  them 
away  as  much  as  to  say,  "  this  isn't  fighting !  " 

Anxious  days  followed.  Every  morning  and 
every  evening  Jim  Archer  telephoned  to  the  Everett 
home  from  Hill-top  a  report  of  Garrett's  condition. 
Sometimes  there  would  be  a  word  of  encouragement 
— then  he  would  be  a  degree  worse !  Pat,  pale  as  a 
ghost,  scarcely  speaking  to  anyone,  trembling  at 


PAT'S  PRIDE  AND  ITS  FALL  161 

every  sound,  in  spite  of  all  Aunt  Pen's  and  Renee's 
efforts,  refused  to  be  cheered  or  comforted!  She 
spent  almost  all  her  time  in  the  Eyrie  with  the  door 
locked. 

"  I'm  downright  worried ! "  Aunt  Pen  said  to 
Pat's  father,  who  fortunately  had  returned  in  the 
midst  of  the  trouble  and  anxiety.  "  Whatever  does 
the  child  do  in  that  room  all  by  herself?  " 

No  one  would  ever  know !  In  the  most  shadowy 
corner  of  the  Eyrie  Pat  had  crept  and  there  she 
had  found  strength  to  bear  the  suspense !  Kneeling 
before  one  of  the  old  broken  chairs,  she  repeated 
over  and  over  a  little  prayer  she  had  made : 

"  Please  God,  make  Garrett  well !  He  was  so 
brave  and  I  was  so  wicked !  I'm  the  one  you  ought 
to  punish!  Please  make  him  well  and  I'll  never, 
never  be  wicked  again !  " 

Sometimes  she  would  vary  the  wording  of  her 
little  prayer  and  once,  thinking  that  perhaps  her 
clumsy  sentences  might  not  reach  the  Father's  ear, 
she  carried  a  prayer-book  to  the  Eyrie  and  slowly, 
with  great  emphasis,  repeated  the  prayer  for  the 
sick  that  she  had  often  heard  in  church. 

Going  downstairs  from  one  of  these  vigils  in  the 
Eyrie  she  heard  Sheila's  voice.  Her  heart  stopped 
beating  with  an  instant's  fear !  She  rushed  into  the 
ii 


i62  LARKSPUR 

room  where  Sheila  was  talking  to  Aunt  Pen  and  her 
Daddy. 

"  He  is "  She  could  not  make  herself  ask 

the  question. 

Sheila  turned.  Her  tired  face  was  bright  with 
joy.  "  Garrett's  better !  He  will  get  well !  We 
didn't  telephone  because  I  wanted  to  tell  you !  I  had 
to  come  home,  for  mother  needed  me." 

"  Really,  truly  ?  "  Pat  could  scarcely  believe  that 
the  black  shadow  was  lifted  from  her.  Sheila 
nodded  laughingly. 

"  Really,  truly !  The  doctor  says  he  has  a  won- 
derful constitution!  And  we're  all  so  glad,  because 
we  love  Mrs.  Lee  so  much !  " 

With  quivering  lips  Pat  turned  and  threw  her- 
self into  her  father's  arms.  There  was  so  much 
she  wanted  to  tell — of  her  silly  vanity,  her  wicked 
recklessness,  her  leading  another  into  danger,  but  the 
words  would  not  come! 

"  I'll  always  remember — how  he  looked — up  on 
the  bank ! "  she  shuddered,  her  face  hidden  against 
her  father's  coat.  "  I  asked  God  to  make  him  well 
and  He  did,  and  I  guess  I'll,  remember  never — to  be — 
wicked  again !  "  And  as  though  he  understood  how 
truly  repentant  poor  Pat  was,  her  dear  Daddy  patted 
her  shoulder  and  held  her  very  close. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

GOOD  TURNS 

THE  winter  days  passed  quickly  in  the  Everett 
household.  Each  moment  was  filled  with  work  or 
play.  And  so  delightfully  intermingled  was  the  play 
with  the  work  that  the  girls  found  themselves  tack- 
ling their  Latin  verbs  with  the  same  zest  they  threw 
into  their  outdoor  recreation. 

In  spite  of  the  holidays  and  the  suspense  of 
Garrett  Lee's  illness  the  routine  of  Aunt  Pen's 
"  school "  had  been  renewed  with  little  difficulty. 
Pat,  who  always  before  had  been  very  indifferent 
to  the  report  system  followed  at  Miss  Prindle's,  sud- 
denly developed  deep  concern  and  pride  in  the  reports 
that  Aunt  Pen  carefully  prepared  at  the  end  of  each 
week  to  show  Daddy  and  then  tucked  away  in  the 
spinnet  desk  to  wait  mother's  return.  She  was 
improving  in  her  Latin  and  her  French;  she  could 
write  a  letter  now  with  only  one  or  two  misspelled 
words ;  she  tackled  the  difficult  problems  in  Algebra 
in  a  fine" fighting  spirit,  and  with  great  pride — after 
many  mortifying  failures — was  able  to  set  before  her 
father  three,  beautifully  browned  loaves  of  bread! 

163 


164  LARKSPUR 

Daddy  had  declared  that  such  triumph  must  have 
its  reward  and  had  carried  them  all — pupils  and 
teacher — off  to  the  theatre  to  see  "  Penrod." 

The  Eaglets  still  gathered  in  the  Eyrie.  How 
much  nearer  each  was  coming  to  her  ambitions  no 
one  of  them  could  tell — that  they  were  still  stead- 
fastly true  to  their  pledge  to  help  one  another  was 
certain;  unconsciously  perhaps,  they  did  it  by  the 
strength  of  their  friendship. 

"  LaDue  and  Everett "  had  developed  a  thriving 
business.  Pat,  quite  all  by  herself,  had  gone  to 
Brown  Brothers,  the  leading  bookstore  in  the  city, 
and  had  sought  and  obtained  an  order  for  hand- 
painted  valentines.  This  had  given  her  courage  to 
approach  Miss  Higgins  and  a  nearby  Gift-shop. 
Very  proudly  she  presented  the  three  orders  to  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm. 

"  There,  I  guess  that'll  make  us  work !  " 

At  first  Renee  was  aghast  at  the  amount  of  work, 
but  with  Pat  to  help  her  and  by  steady  application — 
although  Aunt  Pen  was  firm  in  her  command  that 
the  work  must  not  interfere  with  the  outdoor  play — 
•she  was  able  to  complete  the  orders  by  the  first  of 
February.  And  so  beautifully  had  the  little  valen- 
tines been  made  that  Brown  Brothers  immediately 
ordered  ten  dozen  dinner  cards! 


GOOD  TURNS  165 

The  rush  of  business  set  Pat  at  the  company's 
books  which  had  gotten  into  such  a  muddle  that 
they  had  to  be  taken  to  Daddy  to  be  straightened  out. 
Pat's  figures  were  like  a  Chinese  puzzle  running  up 
and  down  the  pages  of  her  imposing  ledger.  Poor 
Mr.  Everett  had  a  knotty  problem  putting  them  into 
proper  shape  and  Pat,  had  a  lesson  in  accounting ! 

Altogether,  after  all  expenses  had  been  paid,  there 
was  left  to  the  account  of  the  youthful  firm  a  sum 
of  eighteen  dollars  and  fifty  cents.  Two-thirds  of 
this,  Pat  declared,  must  be  Renee's,  because  the 
responsibility  of  the  work  fell  upon  her — "  though 
I'll  just  say  it  isn't  any  fun  getting  up  your  nerve 
to  go  in  and  ask  for  an  order!  They  always  treat 
you  like  a  kid!  "  she  explained,  indignantly. 

There  were  many  demands  upon  their  earnings. 
The  scout  uniforms  had  been  bought;  the  girls  each 
pledged  six  dollars  to  the  Victory  Army ;  there  was 
the  Red  Cross,  too,  and  the  French  Babies  and  the 
Vacation  Fund  for  the  tots  at  home — innumerable 
other  good  causes,  worthy  of  their  help. 

"  It  makes  me  feel  so  grown-up  to  sign  my 
name  to  all  these  pledges  and  things  and  pay  for  it 
out  of  my  very  own  money ! "  And  Pat  assumed  a 
comically  mature  air. 

Pat  was  a  real  "  Yellowbird  "  now  and  Renee 


1 66  LARKSPUR 

was  a  "  scrub."  The  girls  had  joined  a  swimming 
class,  too;  Pat,  having  spent  many  summers  at  the 
seashore  was  like  a  fish  in  the  water,  and  helped 
Renee,  who  had  to  overcome  a  physical  terror  at  the 
very  thought  of  slipping1  over  into  the  tank! 

Early  in  February  Garrett  Lee  was  brought  back 
to  the  city  from  Hill-top.  Pat,  with  Aunt  Pen,  had 
immediately  gone  to  see  him  and  his  mother.  Mrs. 
Lee's  kind  welcome  drove  away  the  fear  that  had 
been  in  Pat's  heart ;  impulsively  she  threw  her  arms 
about  Mrs.  Lee's  neck  and,  because  Mrs.  Lee  could 
always  see  straight  into  the  hearts  of  her  boys  and 
girls,  she  knew  what  prompted  the  caress  and  gave 
an  affectionate  hug  in  return. 

"  Garrett  doesn't  want  one  single  word  ever  said 
about  it  all,"  she  whispered  in  Pat's  ear. 

After  that  Pat  went  almost  daily  to  the  Lee  house 
— sometimes  with  a  book,  or  a  basket  of  fruit  or  some 
home-made  candy.  At  first  she  was  a  little  shy  in  her 
friendly  devotion,  but  after  a  while,  so  truly  grateful 
did  Garrett  seem  for  her  company  and  the  things 
she  brought  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  his  convales- 
cence, she  simply  rang  the  bell  and  ran  straight  up 
to  his  room.  When  these  frequent  visits  interfered 
with  lessons  Aunt  Pen  said  not  a  word,  for  she  knew 


GOOD  TURNS  167 

Pat  was  trying  to  make  up  in  some  small  way  for 
the  harm  she  had  wrought ! 

As  Garrett  grew  stronger  the  young  people 
deserted  the  Eyrie  for  the  pleasant  Lee  living-room. 
"  It  does  him  more  good  than  a  trip  to  Florida ! " 
his  mother  declared,  looking  with  satisfaction  at  her 
patient.  And  the  boys  and  girls  were  learning 
thought  fulness  and  considerateness.  When  Peggy, 
of  her  own  will,  suddenly  lowered  her  voice,  and 
Jim  Archer,  without  a  word,  shoved  a  pillow  back  of 
Garrett's  head  as  he  sat  on  the  old  divan,  Mrs.  Lee 
had  thought — hard  as  it  had  been — Garrett's  illness 
had  brought  some  good. 

Pat  ha  i  never  known  before  the  wholesomeness 
of  jolly  comradeship  with  a  large  circle  of  boys  and 
girls ;  she  found  it  now  in  these  pleasant  gatherings 
at  the  Lees.  Bob  Slocum  and  Peggy  could  think  of 
so  many  games ;  Jim  Archer — all  in  one  afternoon — 
had  composed,  staged,  and  produced  a  melodrama, 
"  Heinie  the  Hun,"  although,  because  Pat  could  not 
control  her  giggling,  the  irate  author-manager  had 
made  her  play  the  drum  to  mark  the  dramatic  cli- 
maxes. There  were  endless  and  lively  discussions 
over  everything  under  sun  and  earth;  jolly  songs 
with  Mrs.  Lee  at  the  piano,  and  always  some  careful 
eye  to  notice  when  Garrett  showed  signs  of  fatigue. 


i68  LARKSPUR 

And  to  Pat  the  best  of  all  was  when  Garrett,  one 
afternoon,  had  confided  to  her  that  he  was  planning 
an  airship  with  a  new  kind  of  stabilizer;  showed  her 
his  drawings  and  explained  how,  for  days  since  his 
illness,  he  had  been  studying  a  housefly  which  he  had 
caught  and  imprisoned  in  the  old  fish  bowl.  Pat 
wanted  very  much  to  tell  the  others  what  great 
things  Garrett  was  going  to  do  but  he  had  made  her 
promise  on  her  scout's  honor  to  keep  his  secret,  so  she 
carried  it  faithfully  locked  away  in  her  heart,  proud 
that  Garrett  should  have  honored  her  with  his  confi- 
dence after  the  unhappy  accident  at  Hill-top! 

"  We're  pals — just's  if  I  was  a  boy,"  she  said  to 
herself. 

As  the  weeks  slipped  by  Renee,  to  Aunt  Pen's 
delight,  was  rapidly  developing  a  fascinating  and 
forceful  personality.  With  so  many  true  friends  and 
playmates  the  shyness  had  gradually  disappeared 
from  her  manner;  contrasted  with  Pat's  dynamic 
spirits  Renee  would  always  seem  quiet,  but  her  will 
was  strong  and  often,  in  her  gentle  way,  she  was  a 
leader  among  the  young  people.  With  a  character 
that  had  been  moulded  and  guarded  by  a  simple  life, 
she  had  in  her  a  rare  beauty  and  purity  of  thought 
that  seemed  to  shine  in  her  pretty  face  and  clear  eyes. 
Happiness  and  healthy  living  were  dispelling  the 


GOOD  TURNS  169 

shadows  from  her  young  life;  she  could  talk  of 
Susette  and  the  old  cottage  without  a  quivering  of  the 
lips ;  she  often  drew  for  Pat,  as  though  she  enjoyed  it, 
a  vivid  description  of  how  splendid  Emile  had  looked 
in  his  uniform  as  he  had  marched  away  with  the 
others — a  rose  she  had  given  him  stuck  jauntily  in 
his  belt! 

The  cessation  of  the  fighting  and  the  approach- 
ing peace  had  brought  many  problems.  Wounded 
men  were  coming  home,  employment  was  uncertain, 
living  expenses  soaring  higher  and  higher;  actual 
want  stalked  in  many  homes.  And  to  add  to  it  all 
a  terrible  epidemic  had  raged  through  the  city,  leav- 
ing in  its  wake  untold  misery  and  suffering. 

There  was  serious  work  for  everyone  to  do. 
There  were  countless  ways  in  which  the  Girl  Scouts 
helped.  "  Good  turns,"  they  called  it  and  they  held 
themselves  always  ready  for  the  command  of  any 
organization,  never  counting  one  moment  of  sacrifice, 
tireless  and  faithful. 

"  What  do  you  think  now?  "  Pat  burst  in  upon 
her  family  from  a  special  meeting  of  the  troop. 
"  The  Scouts  are  going  to  adopt  families!  " 

This  astonishing  announcement  caused  Mr. 
Everett  to  throw  up  his  hands  in  mock  dismay. 

"  Good  gracious,  Pat,  black  or  white?  " 


i;o  LARKSPUR 

"  I'm  really  very  serious,  Daddy,  and  Mrs.  Town- 
send  from  the  Red  Cross  says  we  can  make  it  a 
beautiful  work!  One  family  is  assigned  to  each  of 
us.  We  give  as  much  time  as  we  can  spare  and  do 
everything  we  can — amuse  the  children,  take  'em 
out,  make  things  easier  for  the  mothers  so's  they  can 
rest  and  get  strong  again !  You  see  these  are  families 
that  have  been  sick.  Mine  is  Mrs.  K-a-s-u-b-o-w- 
s-k-i/'  she  read  from  a  card. 

Pat  had,  in  her  way,  expressed  the  scout  orders. 
To  each  of  the  older  scouts  had  been  assigned  a  fam- 
ily that  had  suffered  from  the  epidemic.  Each  girl 
was  to  work  under  the  direction  of  the  District 
Nurse  and  in  cooperation  with  the  Red  Cross.  She 
was  to  give  brief  reports  of  each  visit.  And  know- 
ing that  these  girls  could,  in  the  homes  to  which  they 
were  sent,  win  trust  where  older  women  often  met 
suspicion  and  unfriendliness,  the  Red  Cross  hoped 
to  build  up  through  their  services,  a  sympathy  and 
understanding  that  would  benefit  everyone  and  draw 
more  closely  the  bonds  of  common  interest. 

In  her  youthful  mind  Pat  did  not  sense  any  such 
vision ;  she  only  knew  that  her  scout  orders  directed 
her  to  go  and  do  all  she  could  for  a  family  whose 
name  she  simply  could  not  pronounce ;  that  her  card 
stated  that  there  was  a  Rosa,  aged  seven,  a  Josef,  age 


GOOD  TURNS  171 

six,  a  Stephanie,  aged  three  and  a  baby  Peter; 
that  everyone  of  them  had  been  desperately  ill, 
including  the  father  and  mother;  that  only  within 
the  last  two  or  three  weeks  had  the  father  been  able 
to  go  back  to  work  and  that  upon  the  poor  mother, 
still  weak  from  the  ravages  of  fever,  had  fallen  the 
burdien of  making  the  meagre  savings  tide  them  over. 

Pat  called  them  all  her  "  Kewpies."  Her  first 
two  visits  left  her  discouraged,  the  children  were 
dirty  and  quarrelsome,  the  mother  unfriendly.  But, 
gradually,  armed  with  picture  books  and  toys,  Pat 
won  the  liking  of  the  little  ones;  at  the  next  visit 
she  gave  them  cakes  of  soap  which  Renee  had  carved 
to  resemble  dogs  and  pigs  and  promised  them  more 
if  they  would  use  these  "all  up";  warm  sunshine 
permitted  a  long  walk  and  outdoor  play  and  Mrs. 
Kewpie,  gratefully  realizing  that  for  an  hour  she 
was  absolutely  without  chick  or  child,  caught  a 
much-needed  moment  of  rest ! 

Renee  had  not  been  given  a  family  by  the  Red 
Cross.  At  first  she  was  disappointed,  then,  whole- 
heartedly, she  fell  to  helping  Pat.  Aunt  Pen  and 
Daddy,  too,  were  deeply  interested.  Almost  every 
evening  the  "  Kewpies  "  were  discussed  at.the  "  pow- 
wow." Aunt  Pen  was  aghast  that  Mrs.  Kewpie 
could  speak  only  a  word  or  two  of  English! 


i72  LARKSPUR 

"  How  can  she  be  expected  to  bring  up  good 
American  citizens — let  alone  be  one  herself?"  she 
asked  heatedly. 

Through  Rosa  Pat  learned  that  poor  Mrs.  Kewpie 
would  really  like  to  talk  and  read  English.  Her  hus- 
band had  learned  it  at  his  shop,  the  older  children 
were  learning  it  at  school;  less  and  less  they  were 
talking  the  only  language  she  had  ever  known !  She 
felt,  with  the  quick  instinct  of  her  mother's  heart, 
that  they  were  growing  away  from  her  into  a  world 
of  interests  where  she  could  not  follow.  No  one 
had  ever  offered  to  teach  her  this  new,  strange 
tongue!  She  was  afraid  of  the  teachers  in  Rosa's 
school!  She  misunderstood  and  resented  the 
approaches  of  the  few  English-speaking  women  she 
had  met;  proud  herself,  she  had  thought  them  pat- 
ronizing and  officious !  But  Pat  was  just  a  girl! 

So  Pat,  quite  unconsciously,  began  making  a 
good  American  citizen  out  of  Mrs.  Kewpie.  She 
found  that  the  picture  books  she  brought  the  children 
interested  the  mother,  too — not  because  of  the  pic- 
tures alone  but  because  the  mother  could  make  out, 
through  them,  the  meaning  of  the  words  beneath 
them.  When  Pat  told  of  this  at  home  Aunt  Pen 
thought  of  the  beautiful  plan  of  making  for  Mrs. 
Kewpie  a  primer  out  of  pictures.  Every  evening, 


GOOD  TURNS  173 

for  a  week,  the  entire  Everett  family  worked  indus- 
triously with  scissors  and  paste,  compiling  what  Aunt 
Pen  laughingly  called :  "  Everett's  First  Lessons  in 
the  American  Language." 

"  She'll  know  all  about  this  country  of  ours  when 
she's  graduated  from  this  book,"  declared  Mr. 
Everett,  proudly  smoothing  down  a  colored  picture 
of  the  Capitol  at  Washington. 

"  And  for  everything  I  teach  her  in  English  I'm 
going  to  ask  her  to  teach  me  a  word  in  Polish !  It's 
such  a  funny  looking  language  and  then  it  sounds 
like  music!  They  have  lots  of  awfully  exciting 
stories  in  their  history — Keineth  Randolph  told  us 
some  that  her  father  had  told  her !  And  in  the  next 
book,  let's  have  pictures  of  flowers  and  mountains 
and  water  and  things  like  the  country,  'cause  I  guess 
poor  Mrs.  Kewpie  thinks  there  aren't  such  things !  " 

Prompted  by  this  thought  on  her  next  visit  Pat 
carried  to  the  Kewpie  kitchen  a  pink  geranium  plant. 
Then  she  conceived  the  idea  of  making  the  untidy 
kitchen  look  as  much  like  Mrs.  Quinn's  as  possible ! 
So  interested  did  she  grow  in  her  work  that  for  two 
afternoons  she  completely  forgot  basketball  practice, 
thereby  bringing  down  upon  her  head  the  fury  of  the 
Captain  of  the  Yellowbirds ! 

And  when  Baby  Peter  fell  sick  with  some  diges- 


174  LARKSPUR 

tive  disorder,  Pat,  with  the  help  of  the  District 
Nurse,  was  able  to  persuade  Mrs.  Kewpie  that  a 
daily  bath  would  reduce  the  slight  fever  and  to  sub- 
stitute the  sweet,  fresh  milk  that  the  nurse  had 
brought  in  the  place  of  the  coffee  she  was  accustomed 
to  feed  the  baby. 

Now  Renee,  to  her  delight,  was  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  share  the  "  good  turns." 

One  afternoon  Mrs.  Lee,  always  an  angel  of 
kindness  and  of  wide  charity,  had  sought  Renee' s 
help.  She  explained  to  Renee,  as  they  walked  along 
together,  that  this  wa£  a  "  case  "  of  her  own,  and 
that  she  was  taking  her  to  this  house  because  she 
thought  she  might  bring  a  little  sunshine  into  a  very 
lonely  life  there. 

"  Poor  Mrs.  Forrester  is  very  cross  and  very 
queer,  my  dear!  No  one  ever  goes  to  see  her  now 
and  she  lives  all  alone  with  a  servant  almost  as  old 
as  she  is!  I  thought  that  if  you  would  go  there 
once  in  awhile  and  read  to  her  you  might  help  her 
pass  the  long  hours." 

Mrs.  Lee  did  not  add  that  she  hoped  the  child's 
quiet,  sympathetic  manner  might  waken  some  ten- 
derness in  a  heart  as  cold  and  dead  as  stone. 

Mrs.  Forrester  lived  in  a  very  old  house  in  an 
out-of-the-way  street.  Standing  almost  concealed 


GOOD  TURNS  175 

by  trees  and  overgrown  shrubbery,  it  looked  like 
some  forgotten  corner  of  the  big,  growing  city.  The 
door  creaked  on  its  hinges  as  the  untidy  old  servant 
grudgingly  opened  it  just  far  enough  to  permit  them 
to  enter.  The  rooms  were  dark,  dusty  and  abso- 
lutely bare  of  any  furnishings  except  a  few  worn 
chairs.  Not  a  picture,  not  a  book,  not  one  spot  of 
color  was  to  be  seen!  There  were  no  curtains  at 
the  windows  and  the  cracked  dingy-brown  shades 
had  been  pulled  dose  to  the  sill  as  though  to  forbid 
one  tiny  gleam  of  sunlight  filtering  through. 

Renee  thought  it  the  most  horrid  house  she  had 
ever  seen  and  wondered  how  Mrs.  Lee  could  step  into 
it  so  cheerfully! 

But  always  tender  with  old  people,  she  imme- 
diately felt  sorry  for  the  queer  old  woman  propped 
up  against  a  pile  of  pillows  in  a  great,  ugly  bed. 

"  It  isn't  that  she's  so  very  old — or  sick !  I 
believe  she  just  won't  stir!  Mrs.  Lee  says  she  has 
had  a  very  unhappy  life,"  Renee  explained  at  home. 
Now  Mrs.  Forrester  and  the  ugly  old  stone  house 
shared  the  interest  of  the  pow-wow. 

Another  time  Renee  told,  with  much  amuse- 
ment, how  she  had  insisted  upon  raising  the  shade 
at  the  bedroom  window  so  that  Mrs.  Forrester 
might  see  how  spring-like  the  sun  made  everything 


176  LARKSPUR 

look  and  how  the  old  lady  had  promptly  hopped  out 
of  bed  and  had  pulled  it  down  with  such  a  snap  that 
it  fell  to  the  floor ! 

"  But  she  just  had  to  go  back  to  bed  and  leave  it 
there  and  I  went  on  reading's  though  nothing  had 
happened  and  I  know  she  really  loved  the  sunshine 
because  she  lay  there  as  quiet  as  could  be,  staring 
at  the  window !  " 

But  one  afternoon  Renee  returned,  deeply 
excited,  with  a  secret  that  she  kept  for  Pat's  ears  and 
the  seclusion  of  the  Eyrie. 

"  I  was  reading  something  awfully  stupid  for  I 
thought  she  might  go  to  sleep  and  I  know  she  wasn't 
listening  at  all,  and  finally  I  heard  her  say,  "  If  I 
could  find  my  baby — I'd  be  ready  to  die!"  Now 
I  wasn't  reading  a  thing  about  dying  or  a  baby  and 
she  frightened  me  dreadfully!  I  suppose  she  had 
forgotten  I  was  there.  Then  when  I  went  on  reading 
she  said  it  again — real  plain!  Now,  Pat,  isn't  that 
exciting?  Where  do  you  suppose  her  -baby  is  and 
how'd  she  ever  lose  it  ?  " 

None  of  Pat's  experiences  could  equal  this  for 
mystery!  Pat  stared  at  Renee  and  Renee  stared 
back;  in  the  quiet  of  the  Eyrie  they  thought  up  all 
sorts 'of  explanations  and  stories — tragic,  all  of 
them!  Pat  fairly  shivered  with  delight. 


GOOD  .TURNS  177 

"  Aren't  you  lucky,  Renee — to  have  such  a  spliffy 
mystery!  It's  just  spooky!  I'm  going  to  write  a 
story  about  that !  You  get  her  to  talk  more — read 
a  lot  about  babies  and  listen  hard !  And  talk  to  that 
old  Crosspatch,  maybe  she'll  tell  you  something. 
That's  the  way  they  always  do  in  detective  stories. 
Something  dreadful  must  have  happened  to  make 
her  live  like  that,  in  that  ugly  old  house !  Oh,  rap- 
ture, I  know  I'm  going  to  be  famous!  This  goes 
way  ahead  of  Aunt  Pen's  story!  Of  course,"  she 
added,  hastily,  "  I  don't  know  all  Aunt  Pen's  secret 
sorrow  yet  and  she  doesn't  stay  in  bed  and  act  queer ! 
I  think  I'll  call  this  "  The  Lost  Baby!  " 

So  that  evening,  armed  with  several  newly- 
sharpened  pencils  and  much  of  Daddy's  writing 
paper,  Pat  began  her  first  chapter.  However,  its 
progress  met  with  a  serious  setback  when  Aunt  Pen 
laid  in  her  hands  a  letter  from  Angeline  Snow.  Pat 
opened  it  eagerly;  she  had  not  heard  from  any  of 
her  old  schoolmates  at  Miss  Prindle's  for  a  long  time. 

She  read  it  quickly.  Miss  Angeline,  in  a  few 
breezy  sentences,  informed  Pat  that  she  would  come 
immediately  to  make  her  a  visit! 

"...  You  were  such  a  dear  to  ask  me 
(Pat  read  that  twice,  thoughtfully) — and  the  doc- 
tor says  I  need  a  teeny  rest.  Mama  is  in  California 

12 


178  LARKSPUR 

and  of  course  I  cannot  go  to  her!  But  we'll  have 
a  perfectly  sweet  time  together  and  I'm  just  dying 
to  see  you  again.  We've  missed  you  dreadfully  here ! 
I  have  bushels  to  tell  you — just  you.  (About  the 
girls  and  things — you'll  die  when  you  hear  it  all!) 
I'll  come  on  the  Empire  on  Thursday,  so  please  meet 
me.  I  have  a  stunning  new  hat,  henna  and  turquoise 
blue  and  a  feather  you'll  want  to  eat.  Bye-bye,  your 
Angeline." 

So  intent  was  Pat  upon  examining  the  gold  crest 
on  the  paper  that  she  did  not  see  the  curious  look  that 
flashed  over  Aunt  Pen's  face. 

"  Good  gracious,"  she  exclaimed,  suddenly, 
"  that's  to-morrow !  " 

"  Yes,"  Aunt  Pen  answered  quietly,  "  and  we 
must  do  everything  we  can  to  make  her  visit 
pleasant ! " 


CHAPTER  XVII 

ANGELINE 

AT  a  first  glimpse,  from  the  crown  of  her  glossy 
black  head  to  the  patent  tip  of  her  smart  little  shoe, 
Angeline  Snow,  arriving  the  day  following,  was  like 
a  stranger  to  Pat! 

Pat  had  left  her  at  the  close  of  that  last  term  of 
school,  after  parting  embraces  and  repeated  pledges 
of  undying  friendship,  a  girl,  long  of  leg  and  short 
of  skirt  like  herself;  now  she  beheld  a  fascinating 
young  creature  whose  slim  body  was  robed  in  a  dress 
of  the  most  stylish  fabric  and  cut,  its  clinging  skirts 
reaching  quite  to  the  tops  of  the  little  patent  leather 
shoes,  and  the  hair  that  Pat  had  always  loved  to 
braid  and  unbraid  was  pinned  in  curious  puffs  and 
waves  close  to  the  small  head. 

However,  in  the  transformation,  Angeline  had 
lost  none  of  the  fascination  that  had  made  of  Pat, 
in  the  old  days  at  Miss  Prindle's,  a  sort  of  adoring 
slave.  She  was  amazingly  pretty,  her  black  hair 
made  her  white  skin  dazzling,  the  faintest  of  rose- 
pink  flushed  her  cheeks  and  the  tip  of  her  pointed 
chin ;  her  eyes  set  deep  under  long  black  lashes  were 

179 


i8o  LARKSPUR 

as  blue  as  a  June  sky ;  her  mouth  alone  marred  the 
perfection  of  her  face — when  the  lips  were  not 
twisted  into  an  affected  smile,  acquired  after  faith- 
ful study  before  the  mirror,  they  glaringly  betrayed 
the  girl's  little  weaknesses. 

There  might  well  be  some  doubt  in  anyone's  mind 
as  to  why  a  doctor  had  prescribed  a  rest  for  the  young 
lady !  From  the  moment  when,  clasping  her  Pekin- 
ese under  her  arm  and  followed  by  a  porter  with 
two  huge  shiny  leather  suitcases  she  stepped  down 
from  the  train,  she  fairly  bubbled  with  spirits ! 

Quickly  Pat  fell  under  the  old  charm!  Because 
Renee  had  developed  a  light  attack  of  influenza  which 
confined  her  to  her  bed  and  kept  Aunt  Pen  in  close 
attendance,  lessons  were  suspended  and  the  two  girls 
were  left  very  much  to  themselves.  At  Aunt  Pen's 
suggestion  Pat  moved  into  Celia's  room,  which 
adjoined  the  room  assigned  to  Angeline.  A  door 
opened  from  one  to  another  and  every  night  and 
morning  Pat  crept  in  under  Angeline's  covers  for  a 
little  while  and  listened  breathlessly  while  Angeline 
told  the  "  secrets  "  of  the  school.  Almost  always 
there  was  a  box  of  chocolates  under  Angeline's  pillow 
so  that  at  regular  intervals  the  stories  were  inter- 
rupted while  the  two  girls  munched  on  the  candies. 

"  The  very  most  excitkig  thing  of  all — and  don't 


ANGELINE  181 

you  dare  breathe  it  to  a  soul " — and  Angeline  sat 
bolt  upright  and  clasped  her  arms  about  her  knees — 
"  is  the  aawful  scrape  that  Jule  Kale  and  I  got  into 
and  that's  really  why  I'm  herel " 

Jule  Kale  had  been  a  Junior  when  Pat  had  been 
at  Miss  Prindle's.  Pat  remembered  her  as  a  daring 
young  lady  whose  adventures  had  more  than  once 
thrilled  her  and  the  other  girls  in  the  school. 

"  You  know  she'd  been  writing  to  a  French  sol- 
dier for  over  a  year,  even  after  Prin  said  we  couldn't 
and  what  do  you  think!  He  came  to  New  York! 
He  was  the  handsomest  thing — the  girls  were  all 
crazy  about  him,  when  we  described  him !  He  wrote 
to  Jule  right  away  and  asked  her  to  meet  him  at  the 
Waldorf  and  she  went  real  often  and  took  me  with 
her.  I  used  to  take  a  book  and  pretend  to  read,  but 
I  watched  every  minute  so's  I  could  tell  the  other 
girls.  Once  he  bought  me  some  chocolate,  too,  when 
Jule  told  why  I  was  sitting  there.  He  said  there 
were  some  more  Frenchmen  coming  over  and  he'd 
introduce  them  to  us !  Oh,  the  girls  were  wild  with 
excitement !  Then  one  afternoon  Jule  went  to  a  tea- 
room and  danced  with  him  and  she  didn't  take  me 
and  some  one  saw  her  there  and  told  Prin  and  Jule 
was  awfully  scared,  'cause  you  remember  Prin  had 
told  her  that  the  next  scrape  she  was  in  she'd  have 


i8a  LARKSPUR 

to  leave  the  school !  And  what  does  Jule  do  but  tell 
Prin  that  he  was  her  cousin  who  had  been  in  the 
French  flying  service!  And  Prin  insisted  that  she 
invite  him  up  to  school  for  dinner  like  we  always  do 
our  relatives  and  have  him  give  a  talk  about  the  war 
and  Jule  had  the  worst  time  explaining  how  he  had 
to  go  away  and  couldn't  come!  And  we  knew  all 
the  while  that  Prin  was  sniffing  around  the  way  she 
does  for  more  information  so  Jule  thought  I'd  better 
go  away  for  awhile  so's  she  couldn't  question  me! 
I  pretended  to  faint  one  day — I  can  do  it  awfully 
well  now — and  Prin  never  said  a  word  when  I 
told  her  I  wanted  to  come  here  for  a  visit.  But 
wasn't  that  all  exciting  and  wouldn't  it  be  funny 
if  some  day  Jule  married  the  French  soldier?  His 
name  is  Henri  Dupres.  Only  Jule  says  his  teeth  are 
all  filled  with  gold  and  he  shows  'em  all  the  time  as 
if  he  was  proud  of  them!  " 

Contrasted  to  these  exciting  revelations  Pat  felt 
that  the  telling  of  her  little  experiences — the  happy 
school  with  Aunt  Pen,  the  Eyrie  and  its  secrets,  the 
jolly  hours  at  the  Lee's,  the  basketball  games,  the 
Scout  work  and  play,  would  be  stupid  to  Angeline! 

Aunt  Pen  had  bade  Pat  do  everything  she  could 
to  entertain  her  guest ;  Pat  found  that  Angeline  was 
easily  entertained.  Indeed,  the  young  lady  never 


ANGELINE  183 

failed  to  indicate  with  daring  frankness  just  what 
she  wanted  to  do  and  what  she  did  not  want  to  do. 
And  to  Pat's  dismay  none  of  Angeline's  desires 
included  any  of  the  other  girls !  Angeline  stated  very 
plainly  that  she  considered  Peggy  "  stupid,"  Kein- 
eth  "  a  kid,"  and  Sheila — "  downright  common." 

"  Why,  do  you  mean  she  lives  in  that  tumble- 
down house  and  her  mother  keeps  lodgers? "  she 
had  asked  with  scorn. 

Pat  had  opened  her  lips  to  answer  and  then  closed 
them  quickly.  Something  within  her  told  her  that 
nothing  she  could  say  would  win  Angeline's  approval 
of  Sheila — she,  too,  months  ago,  when  she  was  at 
Miss  Prindle's,  might  have  thought  the  same  thing ! 

Angeline,  with  pretty  condescension,  found 
Renee  interesting.  "  Poor  little  refugee !  "  she  said 
when  Pat  told  Renee's  story. 

The  two  girls  divided  their  time  in  the  moving- 
picture  theatres,  the  chocolate  shops  and  the  stores. 
Angeline  never  tired  of  hanging  over  counters  and 
showcases;  because  she  was  smartly  dressed  and 
possessed  a  fund  of  information  as  to  styles,  she 
commanded  respect  and  attention  from  the  clerks. 
Each  day  Pat  grew  more  and  more  envious  and 
impressed  by  Angeline's  "  grown-upness." 

Under  Angeline's  influence  Pat  began  to  feel 


1 84  LARKSPUR 

ashamed  of  her  own  simple  garments  and  to  contrast 
them  unhappily  with  the  finery  Angeline  spread  out 
over  the  bed  for  her  inspection.  She  turned  the 
henna  and  turquoise  creation  over  and  over  while 
Angeline  told  that  it  had  cost  twenty-five  whole 
dollars !  "  That's  more  than  Renee  and  I  earned 
all  winter,"  Pat  thought.  And  Angeline  put  into  her 
hands  a  pair  of  pumps,  gleefully  remarking  that 
"they  were  sixteen  and  I  got  them  for  twelve — 
wasn't  that  a  great  bargain  ?  " 

In  her  rude  way,  which  Angeline  considered 
pretty  frankness,  she  made  Pat  understand,  too,  that 
she  was  "  simply  amazed  "  to  find  that  Pat  lived  in 
such  a  plain  old  house! 

"  Of  course  it's  nice  and  roomy  and  all  that — 
and  a  long  time  ago  it  must  have  been  fashionable, 
but  you  just  ought  to  see  Brenda  Chisholm's  father's 
new  house  on  the  Drive — why,  it's  like  a  palace!" 
She  enlarged,  then,  upon  its  grandeur  until  Pat  felt 
deep  chagrin  that  her  father  had  preferred  to  live  on 
in  the  old  homestead  rather  than  to  move  into  a 
newer  part  of  the  city. 

Pat  knew  that  she  loved  the  old  library  with  its 
deep  fireplace  and  the  rows  of  book  shelves  reaching 
to  the  ceiling  and  the  long,  deep  windows  overlook- 
ing the  slope  of  lawn  between  her  house  and  Sheila's, 


ANGELINE  185 

the  old  paintings  on  the  walls  and  the  softly  colored 
rugs ;  she  knew  that  her  own  room,  over  the  library, 
held  all  her  memories  of  nursery  days;  that  she  loved 
the  way  the  morning  sun,  streaming  in  through  the 
little  conservatory  where  the  birds  sang  among  the 
flowers,  turned  to  gold  the  dark  oak  panels  of  the 
dining-room.  However,  it  must  seem  shabby  to 
Angeline  after  she  had  visited  Brenda's  new  home ! 
She  looked  at  the  more  modern  houses  they  were 
passing,  great  piles  of  stone  and  marble  surrounded 
by  well-kept  lawns,  and  resolved  to  urge  her  Daddy 
to  move  immediately ! 

One  morning,  a  week  after  Angeline's  arrival,  the 
girls  found  themselves  with  nothing  to  do.  Aunt 
Pen  had  taken  Renee  out  for  a  walk  in  the  Park. 
The  sun  was  shining  warmly,  buds  were  appearing 
on  the  lilac  bushes,  everywhere  was  the  hint  of  spring. 
Aunt  Pen  had  declared  she  had  heard  an  oriole,  she 
and  Renee  had  started  in  search  of  the  songster's 
nest.  Pat  had  watched  them  depart  with  a  little 
longing  in  her  heart  and  a  hurt  that  they  had  not 
even  asked  her  and  Angeline  to  go  with  them !  Yet 
she  knew  how  Angeline  would  have  scoffed  at  the 
suggestion  of  a  walk  in  the  Park ! 

Angeline  now  was  arranging  and  rearranging 
her  hair  before  the  mirror.  Pat  was  crossly  wish- 


i86  LARKSPUR 

ing  she'd  stop — she'd  been  fussing  there  for  ages! 

"  What'  11  we  do?"  she  asked,  as  Renee's  and 
Aunt  Pen's  figures  disappeared  up  the  street. 

"  Oh,  let's  go  out  somewhere  for  lunch.  Then 
we  can  shop.  You  know,  I  think  it's  a  shame  your 
aunt  doesn't  buy  you  some  decent  things!  If  / 
were  you  I'd  just  go  and  get  them  myself!  My 
goodness,  you're  too  old  to  be  dressed  like  a  little 
kid.  How  the  girls  at  school  will  laugh  when  I  tell 
them!" 

Pat's  face  flushed  crimson.  Angeline  went  on  in 
her  persuasive  voice;  "If  you  don't  just  show 
your  independence  sometime  they'll  go  on  treating 
you  like  a  child !  Of  course  it's  none  of  my  busi- 
ness, but  you're  my  dearest  friend  and  I  do  feel  sorry 
for  you !  And  I  can  help  you  pick  out — oh,  just  a 
few  things ! " 

Pat  gave  her  head  a  little  toss !  "  Shall  we  walk 
or  ride?  "  she  asked,  mutely  yielding  to  Angeline's 
tempting. 

"  Oh,  dear  me,  ride,  of  course!  I  couldn't  walk 
a  block  in  those  heels!  "  and  Angeline  extended  one 
of  the  bargain  pumps  for  a  loving  inspection. 

It  was  necessary,  before  they  started  forth,  for 
Pat  to  open  her  treasure  box  in  the  Eyrie  and  take 
from  it  the  crisp  six  dollar  bills  which  she  had  ready 


ANGELINE  187 

for  her  Victory  pledge,  due  on  April  first.  This,  with 
her  week's  allowance,  seemed  a  great  deal  of  money 
and  would  surely  meet  the  expenses  of  their  outing. 

As  they  whirled  along  the  street  toward  the  shop- 
ping section  of  the  city  Pat  caught  Angeline's  gay 
mood.  With  a  little  thrill  she  told  herself  that  they 
were  embarked  upon  an  adventure !  At  Angeline's 
suggestion  they  lunched  at  a  fashionable  restaurant, 
always  thronged  at  the  noon-hour.  Emboldened  by 
Angeline's  composed  manner,  Pat  gradually  lost  her 
own  awkward  consciousness  and  enjoyed  to  the  full- 
est the  gay  bustle  and  confusion,  the  clatter  of  china, 
the  music  rising  discordantly  above  the  endless  chat- 
ter at  the  tables. 

"  This  is  more  like  what  we  girls  do  at  school," 
declared  Angeline,  dipping  her  pink  finger-tips  into 
the  glass  bowl  before  her.  "  And  now  let's  go  to  the 
stores  and  find  some  things  for  you !  " 

Under  Angeline's  direction  this  was  an  absorbing 
process.  She  recalled  a  love  of  a  taffeta  dress  they 
had  seen  in  a  window.  Of  course  it  could  be  charged 
— everyone  must  know  who  Miss  Everett  was !  For- 
tunately for  the  success  of  their  shopping  they  found 
a  clerk  who  had  often  sold  dresses  to  both  Mrs. 
Everett  and  Celia.  Anxious  to  make  a  sale,  she 
assured  Pat  that  the  dress  would  look  beautiful  on 


1 88  LARKSPUR 

her!  She  shook  out  its  floufices  temptingly  as  she 
said  it.  Angeline  added  that  the  flame-colored 
chiffon  collar  was  "  chic — everyone's  wearing  them 
in  New  York !  "  Pat  was  promptly  thrilled  with  a 
mental  picture  of  herself  in  the  stylish  gown ! 

"Of  course  your  aunt  will  look  cross  for  a 
moment,"  Angeline  whispered,"  but  it's  really  none 
of  her  business  is  it?  I  know  my  mother  likes  to 
have  me  look  after  myself !  " 

So  Pat  bought  the  dress,  gave  the  address,  and 
carried  it  away  with  her  in  a  box.  They  then  made 
other  purchases ;  a  silk  and  lace  petticoat  that  Ange- 
line declared  a  "  love,"  some  chiffon  ties,  a  velvet 
bag  with  a  jeweled  top,  a  vanity  case  and  a  box  of 
face  powder. 

"What  fun!""  cried  Angeline,  seizing  some  of 
the  precious  packages.  "  Now  I  tell  you  what  let's 
do !  Let's  stop  at  that  Madame  Ranier's  place  and 
let  her  curl  your  hair  and  do  it  up!  Then  you'll 
look  just  peachy!  All  the  girls  are  wearing  their 
hair  up  now — truly,  Pat !  Why,  you'd  be  ridiculous 
in  New  York!" 

They  found  Madame  Ranier's  and  Pat  spent  an 
uncomfortable  hour  before  the  mirror  while  a  yel- 
low-haired young  woman  curled  her  pretty  hair  with 


ANGELINE  189 

long,  hot  irons.  Angelina  hovered  over  them  both, 
giving  suggestions  from  time  to  time  and  exclaiming 
over  the  transformation.  The  hairpins  hurt  cruelly 
and  Pat  had  a  feeling  that  she  could  never  move 
her  head  again ;  however,  in  spite  of  all  this,  she  was 
secretly  satisfied,  as  was  Angeline  and  Madame  and 
the  young  woman,  that  the  result  was  most  becom- 
ing and  that  she  looked  quite  "  grown-up !  " 

Then  Angeline  caught  her  arm.  "  Now,  silly, 
just  stand  still  one  moment  and  I'll  have  you  looking 
really  like  something,"  and  to  complete  her  after- 
noon's work,  she  dabbed  at  Pat's  nose  with  the  tiny 
powder  puff  she  carried  in  her  bag. 

As  they  marched  forth  Pat  tried  to  assume  an 
airiness  of  manner  she  did  not  feel.  Between  their 
luncheon  and  Madame  Ranier  she  had  spent  almost 
all  of  her  money ;  the  purchases  she  had  had  charged 
began  to  trouble  her  soul.  Angeline  stopped  sud- 
denly at  Brown's  window — she  saw  a  book  there 
that  she  declared  she  must  have !  All  the  girls  were 
reading  it!  She  ran  in  without  another  word  and 
Pat  could  do  nothing  but  follow  her.  The  book, 
"  All  on  a  Summer's  Day,"  was  purchased  and  Pat 
paid  for  it  out  of  what  remained  of  her  money. 

"  Prin  said  we  younger  girls  couldn't  read  it, 
but  guess  she  can't  say  anything  to  me  now !  " 


igo  LARKSPUR 

"  Now  to  wind  up  this  jolly  day,  Pat — /'//  treat," 
Angelina  said,  edging  toward  a  chocolate  shop. 

As  they  sat  down  at  one  of  the  little  tables  Pat 
saw  across  the  room  Garrett  and  Peggy  Lee  and 
Keineth  Randolph.  Her  first  thought  was  to  join 
them  but  something  in  their  faces  stopped  her.  In 
that  moment's  exchange  of  glances,  though  the  girls 
had  nodded  pleasantly  enough,  Pat  read  surprise, 
disgust,  and  outright  amusement ! 

A  deep  crimson  dyed  her  face,  in  funny  contrast 
to  the  powdery  whiteness  of  her  nose.  Trying  to 
assume  an  indifferent  air  she  turned  her  back  on  the 
others  and  devoted  herself  to  Angeline;  her  pride 
and  satisfaction  had  fled,  though,  leaving  her  deeply 
hurt,  not  so  much  because  of  the  girls'  suppressed 
ridicule  as  by  the  thought  that  they  had  not  invited 
her  and  Angeline  to  join  them. 

Then  Garrett  added  the  last  drop  to  her  humilia- 
tion! As  they  trooped  out,  giving  a  passing  smile 
to  Pat  and  her  guest,  Garrett  slyly  poked  Pat  in  the 
back  and,  leaning  over,  whispered :  "  Where'd  you 
lose  your  ears,  Miss  Everett?''  Involuntarily  Pat 
clapped  her  hands  to  the  curly  puffs  that  were  pinned 
carefully  over  her  ears  and  threw  Garrett  a  wrathful 
look! 

But  her  adventure  was  ending  most  dismally! 


ANGELINE  191 

Reaching  home  she  threw  her  boxes  and  bags  and  the 
book  on  her  bed  and  fiercely  shook  out  the  miserable 
hairpins !  For  ten  minutes  she  brushed  the  offending 
curls  and  then  braided  them  into  a  tight  pigtail. 
If  Aunt  Pen  noticed  the  work  of  Madame  Ranier's 
young  woman,  or  the  daub  of  powder  still  decorating 
the  bridge  of  Pat's  nose,  she  said  nothing;  neither 
did  she  question  Pat  concerning  her  absence  at  lun- 
cheon. She  and  Renee  were  in  high  good  humor, 
they  had  had  a  happy  afternoon  and  Renee  was 
herself  again. 

"  Pat,  dear,  don't  you  think — Renee  is  all  bet- 
ter now — we  might  have  some  sort  of  a  party  in 
honor  of  Angeline?  " 

Angeline's  expressive  face  brightened.  She  was 
always  prettily  agreeable  when  with  the  family.  She 
clapped  her  hands  to  express  her  delight. 

"  Let's  have  a  dinner  dance,"  she  cried;  then — 
"  oh,  how  dreadful  of  me  to  speak  right  out — like 
that!  "  and  she  affected  deep  embarrassment. 

"  I  had  in  mind  a  picnic  at  Hill-top  on  Saturday. 
The  roads  are  open  and  we  can  all  motor  out,  have 
lunch  and  then  go  to  the  sugar  camp.  The  sap  is 
running  well,  Mrs.  Lee  says." 

Aunt  Pen  kept  her  eyes  on  her  knitting  and  did 
not  see  the  blank  look  of  astonishment  that  crossed 


192  LARKSPUR 

Angeline's  face.  Pat  had  exclaimed  eagerly  over 
the  suggestion : 

"  I've  never  seen  a  sugar  camp,  have  you, 
Renee?" 

"  Then  I  will  tell  Mrs.  Lee  that  we  will  all  go, 
Sheila  and  Peggy  and  Keineth,  and  Garrett  may 
ask  some  of  the  boys.  Garrett  can  drive  their  car, 
too." 

The  next  morning  Angeline  stayed  locked  in  her 
room  until  after  eleven  o'clock.  Then,  hearing  Pat 
in  the  adjoining  room,  she  suddenly  threw  open  the 
door  and  appeared  fully  dressed,  even  to  the  henna 
hat.  To  Pat's  exclamation  of  astonishment  she 
answered : 

"  I'm  going  back  on  the  Empire !  Will  you  tell 
Watkins?  Now  don't  be  a  silly  and  make  a  fuss, 
Pat — just  tell  your  aunt  that  I  had  a  telegram !  Jule 
wrote  that  everything  was  smoothed  over  and  that  I 
was  missing  some  fun!  So  you  don't  think  I'm 
going  to  stay  any  longer  in  this  dead  hole! "  She 
snuggled  her  face  in  the  Pekinese.  "  You've  been  a 
dear  to  keep  me,  Pat,  but,  you  poor  child,  couldn't 
you  see  I  was  just  bored  to  death?  And  a  sugar- 
party!  Oh,  la,  la — won't  the  girls  laugh?  Why,  I 
wouldn't  be  seen  dead  at  one !  " 

Slowly  Pat  stiffened  until  she  stood  as  though 


ANGELINE  193 

made  of  stone.  Her  lips  tried  to  frame  the  tumult 
of  wrath  that  raged  within  her,  but  she  only  man- 
aged to  say  lamely:  "I'll  tell  Watkins — if  you've 
really — got  to  go !  " 

So  Angeline  and  her  dog  and  her  bags  of  finery 
departed  and  ten  minutes  later,  the  rage  in  Pat's  soul 
bursting  all  bounds,  she  presented  herself  at  Aunt 
Pen's  door,  her  arms  filled  with  the  hateful  pur- 
chases of  the  day  before,  her  face  red  with  the  effort 
to  choke  back  her  tears. 

Aunt  Pen  had  just  come  in.  So  she  was  amazed 
when  Pat  burst  out :  "  She's  gone  and  I'm  glad  of  it ! 
I  just  hate  her!  She  said  we  were  stupid  and  that 
Sheila  was  common — and  she  was — bored  to  death 
and  we — we  weren't  fashionable — and — and  she 
wouldn't  be  seen  dead  at  a  sugar-party!  As  if  any- 
one wanted  her,  anyway !  " 

"  Pat,  dear,  one  thing  at  a  time!  Who's  gone? 
Angeline?  " 

Pat  dumped  her  boxes  on  the)  floor  and  sitting 
like  a  little  girl  on  Aunt  Pen's  lap  told  of  Angeline's 
dramatic  departure.  She  could  not  see  the  smile  that 
stole  over  Aunt  Pen's  face;  she  could  not  know  that 
the  sugar-party  had  been  planned  to  bring  about  just 
what  had  happened!  Wise  Aunt  Pen  had  decided 
that  Pat  had  had  just  about  as  much  of  Angeline's 
13 


194  LARKSPUR 

company  as  was  good  for  her !  She  listened  to  the 
tale  of  the  shopping,  glanced  at  each  purchase,  then 
patted  the  hair  that  was  still  curly. 

"  Poor  Patsy,  what  a  time  you've  had !  " 

"  But  I  hate  her,  Aunt  Pen,  and  I  hate  myself 
for  ever  having  let  her  say  Sheila  was  common! 
Dear  old  Sheila!" 

"  Well,  dear,  you've  learned  something  in  values 
— all  around!  Sheila,  even  though  her  life  is  a  con- 
tinual sacrifice  of  all  the  pleasures  and  luxuries  most 
girls  have,  is  a  finer  girl  and  a  more  worth-while 
friend  than  poor  Angeline — and  I  think  the  next 
time  you'll  stand  up  for  her,  won't  you,  my  dear? 
Now,  for  the  book — that's  the  place  for  that,"  aim- 
ing it  at  the  waste-basket,  "  and  if  you  want  some 
novels  I'll  find  you  some  that  are  more  thrilling  and 
better  brain- food.  Your  curls  " — she  fondled  the 
dark  head — "  they  are  pretty,  Pat — it's  too  bad  we 
aren't  all  born  with  curly  hair  and  there's  no  par- 
ticular harm  in  having  it  curled,  only — it  does  take 
so  much  time  that  could  be  spent  in  some  much  bet- 
ter way !  And  after  a  few  years  you  can  do  up  these 
braids  and  be  a  young  lady,  but  for  awhile  longer 
we  want  our  Pat  a  girl  that  can  romp  and  play  and 
get  all  the  joy  that  youth  alone  offers!  " 

"  Oh,  Aunt  Pen,  you  make  me  feel  as  if  I'd  been 


ANGELINE  195 

so  silly !  But  what  on  earth  will  I  do  with  all  these 
things !  "  and  Pat  kicked  at  the  offending  boxes. 

"  Well,"  Aunt  Pen  glanced  appraisingly  over  the 
spilled  contents.  "  You  can  give  the  bag  to  Melodia 
and  the  vanity  case  to  Maggie  and  we'll  just  go  back 
with  the  other  things  and  ask  the  store  manager  to 
exchange  them  for — what  do  you  say  to  shoes  for  all 
the  Kewpies?  " 

"  Oh,  joy !  For  Easter !  Oh,  you're  such  a  com- 
fort, Aunt  Pen!" 

"  Seriously,  Pat,  do  you  feel  that  you  really  need 
a  dress?  Perhaps  I  have  neglected  you!  " 

"  Oh,  gracious  no,  I  don't  want  to  fuss  with  any 
more  clothes!  That's  all  Angeline  talked  about! 
Let's  take  this  truck  back  right  after  luncheon !  " 

"  Pat,  dear,  just  a  moment,"  Aunt  Pen  still  had  a 
little  sermon  tucked  away  in  her  mind.  "  You 
mustn't  hate  Angeline — when  you  think  all  this 
over  you'll  realize  she  has  taught  you  a  valuable  les- 
son— perhaps  you,  too,  have  given  her  something  in 
return!  Each  one  of  us  has  within  us  much  that 
we  give  all  unknowingly  to  others,  that  helps  them. 
Think  how  much  little  Renee  has  taught  you  with 
her  unselfish  companionship  and  Sheila,  who  is  so 
brave  and  cheerful  and  honest,  and  Peggy  and  all 
the  others!  And  you  must  think  that  you,  too,  in 


i96  LARKSPUR 

turn,  through  your  friendship,  give  them  something 
of  what  is  good  in  you!  Can  you  understand  what 
I  mean?  So  let  Angeline  go  away  with  grateful 
thoughts  in  your  heart — she  is  silly  now  but  some 
day  she  may  outgrow  all  that  and  be  a  fine  girl !  " 

Pat's  face  reflected  Aunt  Pen's  seriousness.  "  I 
just  ought  to  feel  sorry  for  her  'cause  she  hasn't  a 
mother  and  a  daddy  and  an  Aunt  Pen  like  I  have! 
But,  oh,  I  don't  want  to  ever  look  another  piece  of 
chocolate  candy  in  the  face  again!  And  I'm  as 
broke  as  broke  can  be  and  have  spent  even  my  Vic- 
tory money  and  I'll  have  to  draw  more  from  '  LaDue 
and  Everett '  to  meet  my  pledge  and  save  all  this 
month  to  pay  it  back,"  with  a  groan.  "  But,  Aunt 
Pen,  will  we  have  the  sugar-camp  picnic  just  the 
same?" 

"  We  surely  will,"  smiled  Aunt  Pen,  folding  the 
dress  back  into  its  box,  "  and  a  good  time,  too !  " 

So  Pat  quickly  forgot  Angeline's  insults,  her 
abused  stomach  and  her  empty  pocketbook  in  a  happy 
anticipation  of  the  day  in  the  woods  at  Hill-top  with 
the  boys  and  girls  who  were  her  "  really  worth-while 
friends." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

FOR  HIS  COUNTRY 

"  PADDY  !  Pad-dy  Quinn !  You  get  right  straight 
out  of  there !  "  The  cry  came  from  Sheila.  Return- 
ing from  school  she  had  spied,  as  she  turned  into  her 
walk,  Paddy  digging  among  her  mother's  precious 
tulips. 

Sheila  threw  her  books  inside  the  kitchen  door, 
taking  pains  to  notice  that  the  room  was  empty,  and 
then  went  back  to  punish  the  culprit.  Paddy  lay 
crouched  on  the  ground  watching  her  with  bright 
eyes  and  wagging  his  stub  of  a  tail  in  a  way  that 
was  anything  but  repentant ! 

Perhaps  the  only  thing  that  Mrs.  Quinn  loved 
more  than  Paddy,  except  of  course  her  Sheila  and 
her  Denny  and  her  Matt  and  her  Dare,  were  the 
bulbs  that  grew  each  spring  in  the  little  border  bed 
along  the  old  fence.  Her  tulips  always  put  their 
tiny  green  leaves  up  through  the  earth  long  before 
any  other  tulips;  they  were  always  bigger  and 
brighter  and  seemed  almost  human,  the  way  they 
nodded  on  their  silvery  green  stalks  and  leaned 
toward  one  another  as  though  repeating,  like  old 
gossips,  the  stories  the  robins  sang  over  their  heads. 

197 


i98  LARKSPUR 

Each  fall  Mrs.  Quinn  carefully  covered  them  over 
and  each  spring,  at  the  first  feel  of  warmth  in  the 
sunshine,  she  watched  daily  for  the  tiny  green  tips, 
as  a  mother  might  watch  for  the  return  of  a  long 
absent  son. 

The  children  shared  her  interest,  too — they  could 
not  be  her  children  if  they  did  not  love  the  flowers 
and  birds  and  sunshine  that  made  their  living  joyous ! 
The  fairy  stories  she  had  taught  them  in  their  baby- 
hood, as  she  had  rocked  them  in  her  loving  arms,  had 
made  the  familiar  things  about  them  have  a  magic  of 
their  own ;  the  old  clock  in  the  corner  was  not  ugly 
because  elves  lived  in  it  by  day  and  pranced  from 
its  old  case  at  night;  a  fairy  princess  had  her  fairy 
palace  in  the  nearby  tree  tops,  a  prince  hid  in  the 
wood  box,  the  nodding  posies  that  always  budded 
and  grew  wherever  Mrs.  Quinn  lived,  were  the  souls 
of  sprites  and  at  night  danced  about  under  the  star- 
light; the  dew  that  could  be  found  on  the  blades  of 
grass  in  the  early  morning  were  the  jewels  that  they 
dropped  in  their  haste  to  flee  back  to  hiding  from 
the  approaching  dawn ! 

Trouble  had  been  a  frequent  visitor  in  this  magic 
household  but  the  only  mark  it  ever  left  was  an  added 
line  in  the  corner  of  Mrs.  Quinn' s  smiling  lips,  made 
by  long  night  struggles  over  the  dilapidated  book 


FOR  HIS  COUNTRY  199 

which  contained  the  family  accounts.  Even  when 
left  a  widow  with  four  children  to  bring  up,  she  did 
not  lose  one  bit  of  the  optimism  that,  years  before, 
had  made  the  whole  world  her  Denny's  and  her's  for 
the  conquering!  Her  Denny  had  been  taken  from 
her  before  any  one  of  the  dreams  they  had  dreamed 
had  come  true ;  still,  for  her,  he  lived  on  in  her  Sheila 
and  the  three  small  boys  who  had  red  hair  and  blue 
eyes  like  the  father,  and  she  still  dreamed  the  old 
dreams  for  them.  "  There  was  no  cloud  so  dark  but 
that  it  had  its  bright  lining  somewhere"  was  the 
brave  philosophy  with  which  she  directed  her  house- 
hold, and  the  meals  that  were  often  frugal  she  made 
cheery  with  some  loving  nonsense.  The  sacrifices 
Sheila  had  to  make  as  she  grew  older  were  nothing 
because  she  knew  her  mother  made  them,  too,  and 
there  was  comfort  in  the  sense  of  sharing.  The  sum- 
mer before  Mrs.  Quinn  had  taken  the  old  brick 
house,  fashionable  in  its  day,  comfortable  now,  even 
in  its  shabbiness,  and  had  rented  its  rooms  to  lodgers. 
With  careful  economy  this  slender  income  would 
keep  them  comfortable  until  the  day,  to  which  Sheila 
always  looked  forward,  when  she  herself  could  earn 
money  and  give  to  the  boys  the  advantages  of  educa- 
tion that  she  would  not  ask  for  herself.  To  her  her 
own  little  ambitions  were  as  nothing  compared  to 


200  LARKSPUR 

the  big  things  that  must  be  done  for  the  boys  so  that 
they  would  grow  into  great  men ! 

Paddy  had  become,  immediately  upon  his  adop- 
tion, a  favored  member  of  the  family.  He  had 
privileges,  too,  and  these  increased  as  he  willed 
because,  from  the  mother  down,  not  one  of  them 
could  speak  crossly  to  what  little  Dare  called  "  the 
orphing  dog."  He  slept  in  a  box  near  the  stove  when 
he  was  not  stretched  across  the  foot  of  one  of  the 
boy's  beds;  he  ate  from  a  plate  under  the  chair  in  the 
corner,  a  spot  of  his  own  choosing,  from  which  he 
could  watch  the  course  of  the  family  meal  and  ask 
for  a  second  helping  when  he  wished.  He  shared  the 
rise  and  fall  of  the  family  fortunes — a  bit  of  liver 
when  the  rest  had  chicken,  a  good  bone  on  a  holiday, 
a  new  collar  when  Matt  found,  on  the  walk  before 
the  house,  a  crisp  five-dollar  bill  that  had  no  owner. 

Though,  as  a  dog — especially  an  "  orphing  "  dog 
— Paddy  measured  in  good  manners  up  to  the  aver- 
age, he  had  occasionally,  during  the  winter,  fallen 
into  deep  disgrace.  Time  and  again  he  had  been 
found  digging  vigorously  in  the  back  yard.  Both 
Mrs.  Quinn  and  Sheila  had  protested  violently !  The 
bulbs  were  there  and,  too,  it  was  Sheila's  precious 
war-garden — the  best  in  the  troop !  Paddy  had  been 
punished — severely  for  the  Quinns;  in  spite  of  this 
he  was  found  again  and  again  at  his  mischief. 


FOR  HIS  COUNTRY  201 

"  Oh,  dear,  he'll  ruin  everything,"  Sheila  had 
cried,  eying  the  havoc  Paddy  had  worked.  The  more 
the  snow  melted  from  the  ground  the  more  deter- 
mined Paddy*  seemed'to  dig  his  way  straight  through 
to  China ! 

Then  Mrs.  Quinn  had  made  the  ultimatum !  The 
children  heard  it  with  worried  faces;  Paddy  listened, 
disturbed,  from  the  stove  behind  which,  after  a 
chastisement,  he  had  taken  refuge. 

"  If  we  find  him  at  it  once  more  he'll  go  straight 
to  the  pound!  I'm  not  going  to  have  my  bulbs 
ruined !  "  And  Mrs.  Quinn  had  turned  resolutely 
away  from  the  dismay  and  grief  she  saw  in  four 
young  faces. 

Sheila  knew  that  her  mother  had  meant  what  she 
said.  That  was  why,  on  this  day,  she  had  peeped 
into  the  kitchen  before  she  went  back  to  Paddy.  If 
no  one  had  seen  him  then  he  might  have  just  one 
more  chance! 

"You're  a  bad,  bad  dog!"  she  said,  advancing 
threateningly  upon  the  culprit. 

But  Paddy  barked  protestingly.  His  whole  man- 
ner seemed  to  say :  "I'm  through  now.  See  what 
I've  found !  "  And  between  his  paws  he  held  a  small 
tin  tube,  badly  discolored  from  long  contact  with 
the  earth. 


202  LARKSPUR 

As  Sheila  leaned  over  he  jumped  upon  her,  then 
pawed  the  ground  where  the  tube  lay. 

"  What  have  you  got?  Don't  you  dare  bury  that 
in  the  tulip  bed !  "  But  he  barked  so  hard  in  protest 
that  Sheila  gingerly  picked  up  his  treasure. 

Under  her  fingers  it  came  apart  and  from  it 
dropped  three  folded  slips  of  paper. 

"For  goodness  sake!"  cried  Sheila,  almost 
frightened.  She  smoothed  them  out;  except  for  a 
slightly  mouldy  smell  they  were  in  good  condition 
and  the  writing  upon  them  could  be  easily  read. 

They  were  the  lost  formulas ! 

"Mother!  Mother!  Mother!"  With  one  bound 
Sheila  was  in  the  house  confronting  her  mother  who 
had  come  up  from  the  cellar,  panting  with  alarm. 

" Paddy 's  found  'em!  Paddy's  found  'em!" 
And  she  threw  her  arms  about  her  mother's  neck  in  a 
hug  that  swept  the  two  of  them  straight  into  the  big 
rocker ! 

"  Sheila  Quinn,  are  you  loony?  What  have  you 
got?  And  do  stop  that  dog's  barking!  " 

"  Oh,  mumsey,  it's  the  lost  formulas — they  were 
buried  in  the  tulip  bed !  That's  what  Paddy's  been 
digging  for — all  this  time !  " 

The  two  spread  the  papers  out  on  the  table  and 
read  them  over  and  over. 


FOR  HIS  COUNTRY  203 

"  Don't  they  sound  dreadful!  Just's  if  they'd 
explode  all  by  themselves !  "  whispered  Sheila,  recall- 
ing what  Mr.  Everett  had  said  about  the  formulas. 

So  giving  Paddy  a  warm  hug  by  way  of  tribute 
Sheila  put  the  formulas  back  in  the  tin  tube  and 
started  forth  to  find  Mr.  Everett,  to  tell  him  the 
whole  story.  All  through  the  winter  the  loss  of  the 
formulas  had  worried  Mr.  Everett.  His  experts  had 
been  working  over  the  experiments  again  and  in 
time  would,  of  course,  have  made  new  formulas; 
it  was  the  fear,  however,  that  some  other  government 
already  possessed  the  secret  that  had  troubled,  not 
only  the  officials  of  the  Everett  Works,  but  the 
United  States  government  as  well.  So  that  when 
Sheila,  with  Aunt  Pen,  Pat  and  Renee,  burst  into 
the  office  with  the  wonderful  news,  Mr.  Everett  felt 
as  though  a  great  load  was  rolling  off  his  shoulders ! 

A  curious  gathering  inspected  the  dirty  tube  and 
listened  to  the  story ;  Mr.  Everett  and  his  staff,  some 
secret  service  men,  two  chemists  from  the  experi- 
mental laboratory,  in  their  long  white  coats,  some 
workmen  who  were  passing  the  door  and  had  been 
attracted  by  the  exclamations — and  the  girls.  Mr. 
Everett  questioned  Sheila  closely.  She  recalled  that 
Paddy  had — all  winter  long — barked  a  great  deal  at 
night,  so  much  so  that  after  awhile  the  family  grew 
accustomed  to  it  and  did  not  notice  it. 


204  LARKSPUR 

"  Marx  buried  it — intending  to  go  later  and  dig 
it  up !  The  man  was  smart  enough  to  know  that  if 
they'd  been  found  on  his  possession  nothing  could 
have  saved  him.  It  was  a  lucky  thing  they  kept  him 
locked  up  so  long!  Your  dog  has  done  good  work, 
Miss  Sheila!" 

Mr.  Everett  then,  turning  the  tube  over  and  over 
in  his  hands,  said  to  one  of  the  others  in  a  low  tone: 

"  After  all — perhaps  the  best  service  we  could 
do  for  our  country  and  the  world  would  be  to  bury  it 
again — where  it  would  lie  forever  and  ever !  " 

That  night,  for  the  second  time,  Mr.  Everett, 
with  Pat,  came  to  the  Quinn  kitchen.  But  this  time 
he  was  accompanied  by  Aunt  Pen  and  Renee,  too. 
They  made  a  very  loud  noise  at  the  doorstep,  as 
though  dragging  to  the  door  some  heavy  object. 
Mr.  Everett  insisted  that  -the  three  small  Quinns 
must  stay  up  and  to  make  it  certain  drew  little  Dare 
to  his  knee. 

"  We're  going  to  have  a  regular  ceremony," 
declared  Pat  so  solemnly  that  Mrs.  Quinn  nervously 
fell  to  lighting  more  gas  jets  and  Sheila  sent  Matt 
off  to  the  sink  to  wash  the  jam  from  his  face. 

"  We  must  decorate  Mr.  Paddy  Quinn  for  dis- 
tinguished service,"  Pat  finished.  So  the  boys  with 
shouts  dragged  Paddy  from  his  basket — for  Paddy 


FOR  HIS  COUNTRY  205 

believed  in  an  early  bed-hour — and  set  him  in  the 
centre  of  the  merry  circle.  Thereupon  Mr.  Everett 
produced  a  handsome  collar  decorated  with  a  red, 
white  and  blue  bow  and  allowed  Dare  to  fasten  it 
about  the  shaggy  neck.  Everyone  laughed  at  the 
comical  picture  Paddy  made  in  his  gay  decoration! 
Then  a  knock  came  at  the  door  and  in  trooped  Peggy 
and  Keineth,  trying  to  look  as  though  they  had  not 
known  what  had  been  happening! 

Mr.  Everett  rose  with  much  seriousness.  "  And 
now  that  everyone  is  here  I  want  to  present  another 
badge  of  honor,  that  has  been  left  in  my  keeping! " 
Sheila  guessed  what  was  coming!  She  threw  one 
wildly  happy  look  toward  her  mother  and  then  stood 
quite  still,  blushing.  Mr.  Everett  drew  from  his 
pocket  the  flat  tissue-paper  package,  unwrapped  it, 
and  held  up  the  badge  of  the  Golden  Eaglet. 

"  It  gives  me  profound  pleasure  to  return  this  to 
Miss  Sheila  Quinn !  May  she  always  keep  and  give 
to  others,  too,  her  sense  of  a  true  scout's  honor!  It 
is  one  of  the  strongest  weapons  we  can  carry !  " 

His  voice  was  so  earnest  and  the  eyes  he  fixed 
on  Sheila  so  full  of  sincere  respect  and  admiration 
that  the  laughter  in  the  room  suddenly  died.  As  Pat 
said  afterwards :  "  It  was  just  as  though  Sheila  was 
a  knight  and  was  starting  out  on  some  crusade ! " 


206  LARKSPUR 

And  Mrs.  Quinn,  who  knew  something  of  the 
weapons  one  needed  to  fight  the  battles  of  life, 
choked  down  a  catch  in  her  throat  and  Aunt  Pen 
whispered  something  under  her  breath  with  a  look 
that  was  like  a  caress  for  Sheila ! 

Then  the  girls  opened  the  door  and  revealed  a 
tub  of  ice  cream  on  the  threshold;  while  two  of 
them  were  lifting  it  out  of  the  ice  Pat  brought  in 
and  opened  a  big  box  full  of  dewy- wet  pink  roses. 

Keineth  went  to  the  piano  and  played  so  that  "  the 
fairies  danced,"  and  then  everyone  sang — Dare, 
holding  tightly  to  one  of  Mr.  Everett's  hands,  almost 
splitting  his  throat  in  his  effort  to  express  his  joy ! 

"Such  an  evening!"  said  Mrs.  Quinn  as  she 
closed  the  door  behind  the  last  guest.  "  And  who'd 
have  ever  thought  of  it  at  six  o'clock  and  you,  Matty, 
with  your  elbow  out  of  your  sleeve!  Well,  well,  I 
guess  those  good  folks  don't  mind  a  thing  like  that !  " 

"Mother — look!"  Sheila  had  gone  to  the  roses 
and  had  leaned  over  them  to  whisper  good-night 
into  the  fragrant  petals.  And  there,  hidden  among 
the  leaves,  she  had  found  a  small  envelope  addressed 
to  "  Miss  Sheila  Quinn." 

She  opened  it  quickly.  "  Oh,  Mumsey! "  she 
cried.  For  before  her  amazed  eyes  she  unfolded  a 
check  for  two  hundred  dollars ! 


FOR  HIS  COUNTRY  207 

And  with  it  was  just  one  short  line. 

"  As  a  small  token  of  appreciation  for  Paddy's 
services  I  present  this  to  his  mistress,  begging  her  to 
do  with  it  whatever  she  wants  most  in  the  world." 

"  Mumsey — the  music !  "  Sheila  ran  to  the  piano, 
which  had  been  scarcely  touched  during  the  long 
winter.  With  ecstatic  fingers  she  ran  up  and  down 
the  scale. 

And  Mrs.  Quinn,  watching  her  girl  with  happy, 
misty  eyes,  seeing  in  the  young  face  a  look  of  the 
father  who  had  gone  on,  and  the  glow  of  the  rosy 
dreams  she  had  used  to  dream  in  her  own  girlhood, 
thought  it  the  most  beautiful  music  in  the  world! 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A  LETTER  FROM   FRANCE 

"  A  LETTER  for  you,  Miss  Renee !  "  and  Jasper 
laid  down  at  Renee's  elbow  a  square,  bluish  envelope 
with  a  foreign  postmark. 

^rom  time  to  time  Renee  and  Mr.  Everett  had 
received  cards  from  Renee's  guardian — but  this  was 
a  fat  envelope!  Aunt  Pen  reached  eagerly  for  it 
and  turned  it  over  and  over  in  her  fingers.  Where- 
upon Pat  nodded  to  Renee,  as  much  as  to  say :  "  The 
plot  thickens !  The  mystery  clears !  " 

"  What  fun  to  have  it  come  on  a  nasty,  rainy  day 
like  this!  "  she  declared  aloud.  "  Let's  take  it  to  the 
Eyrie  and  read  it  very  slowly  so's  to  make  it  last  a 
long  time ! " 

"  Renee  may  want  to  read  her  own  letter  by  her- 
self, Pat,"  laughed  Aunt  Pen,  looking  as  happy  as 
though  the  letter  had  come  straight  to  her. 

"  Oh,  no,  please !  Let's  do  what  Pat  says !  And 
you  read  it,  aloud,  Aunt  Pen !  " 

So  the  fat  envelope  was  carried  to  the  Eyrie  and 
Aunt  Pen  sat  down  in  the  one  sound  chair  while  Pat 
and  Renee  stretched  out  on  the  floor  at  her  feet.  And 
208 


A  LETTER  FROM  FRANCE      209 

as  Aunt  Pen  began  to  read  no  one  minded  the  rain 
beating  in  torrents  against  the  Eyrie  windows ! 

"  My  dear  little  girl  and  all  her  good  friends, 
the  Everetts,"  the  letter  began.  "  Because  I  am  con- 
fined by  an  inconsiderate  doctor  to  a  very  small  bed  in 
a  very  big  room  in  what,  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
used  to  be  a  monastery  and  is  now  one  of  the  best 
of  the  American  base  hospitals — though  I  wish  the 
window  was  bigger  so  it  could  let  in  a  little  more 
sunshine  to  warm  these  ancient  walls — I  have  time  at 
last  to  write  to  you  a  real  letter.  Since  I  returned 
from  God's  country  I  have  been  continually  on  the 
jump.  I  got  back  to  the  boys  just  in  time  to  fire  one 
last  shot  at  the  Jerrys,  though  it  was  a  waste  of  good 
honest  steel,  for  they  were  running  faster  than  even 
a  bullet  could  go.  After  the  armistice  they  sent  us 
almost  directly  up  to  the  Rhine.  Somehow,  now  that 
I've  got  the  time  to  write,  and  a  fairly  good  pen, 
I  can't  seem  to  find  the  words  that  will  describe  to 
you  just  how  we  men  felt  when  we  knew  we  were 
there — at  the  old  Rhine — the  way  we'd  talked  and 
sung  about  back  in  the  training  camp.  Things  were 
not  tedious — not  for  a  moment — and  we  were  as 
busy  as  ever  and  constantly  on  the  alert  that  Jerry 
didn't  slip  anything  over  us.  And  then  just  when 
I  was  getting  used  to  the  eternal  rain  and  mud  and 

14 


210  LARKSPUR 

the  Germanness  of  everything — and  good  honest 
sheets,  too,  on  a  regular  old  grandmother's  feather 
bed — I  was  ordered  back  with  a  detachment  to  Le 
Mans. 

"  And  now,  Renee,  I  must  tell  you  a  little  story. 
It  is  about  a  poor  French  soldier  I  found  in  one  of  the 
many  small  villages  not  far  from  Valenciennes.  We 
were  going  back  in  lorries,  one  had  broken  down  and 
that  held  us  up  for  a  couple  of  hours.  Some  of  us 
were  prowling  around  for  souvenirs.  (By  the  way 
I  am  sending  a  German  helmet  to  you  by  mail.  Turn 
it  upside  down,  fill  it  with  earth  and  plant  flowers  in 
it — that'll  redeem  it.)  To  go  back  to  my  story — I 
happened  upon  a  very  old  man  digging  in  a  strip  of 
a  back  yard  that  looked  the  way  one  of  our  streets 
home  look  when  they're  paving  it  and  putting  sewers 
through — it  was  back  of  what  had  been  a  cottage 
only  the  roof  and  two  of  the  walls  were  gone.  I 
asked  him  for  a  drink  and  he  took  me  to  the  one 
room  that  was  whole  to  give  me  some  of  the  wine 
which — he  told  me  proudly — he  had  hidden  months 
before,  and  there  I  found  his  very  old  wife  and  a 
young  French  soldier.  The  Frenchman  would  not 
talk  to  me  at  all,  just  stared  and  shrank  away  as 
though  he  was  frightened.  I  shall  never  forget  how 
the  poor  fellow  looked,  a  bag  of  bones,  hollowed 


A  LETTER  FROM  FRANCE      211 

eyes  that  burned  in  his  white  face  and  an  empty 
sleeve.  The  old  man  told  me  the  boy's  story,  then, 
and  with  the  knowledge  of  French  I  have  picked 
up  I  was  able  to  put  it  together.  He  had  been 
released  from  a  German  prison,  he  had  had  to  walk 
back  with  other  French  prisoners,  but  because  he  had 
had  his  arm  amputated  in  the  prison  and  had  had  a 
long  run  of  fever  and  was  half  starved  he  had 
not  been  able  to  keep  up  with  the  others  and 
had  dropped  behind.  The  old  peasant  had  found  him 
lying  by  the  road,  raving  in  delirium.  There  had 
been  a  nasty  wound  on  his  forehead,  too,  as  though 
back  in  the  prison  camp  some  Jerry  had  struck 
him  over  the  head.  The  old  couple  had  taken  him 
in  and  for  weeks  and  weeks  had  nursed  him  as  best 
they  could,  keeping  him  alive  with  their  precious 
wine.  His  fever  had  gone,  the  wound  had  healed, 
his  strength  had  begun  to  slowly  return,  but  he  could 
not  remember  one  single  thing  of  what  had  hap- 
pened nor  tell  who  he  was — that  blow  had  wiped 
everything  out  of  his  mind!  He  was  like  a  little 
child.  But  the  shock  of  seeing  me  started  some- 
thing working  in  his  brain;  he  stared  and  stared, 
after  a  little  he  got  up  his  courage  to  feel  of  my 
face  and  of  my  uniform — and  then  of  his  own  uni- 
form— or  the  rags  and  tatters  of  what  had  been 


2i2  LARKSPUR 

a  good  French  uniform,  and  I  think  at  that  moment 
blessed  memory  began  to  return ! 

"To  make  a  long  story  short  I  just  took  him  along 
on  the  lorry  to  Paris  and  put  him  in  a  hospital  there 
under  expert  care  and  now  he's  as  sane  as  he  ever 
was  and  says  he  can  remember  the  German  doctor 
who  struck  him  and  wants  to  go  back  and  find  him ! 
But  I  told  him  that  a  higher  Justice  was  going  to 
settle  all  those  scores  and  that  he  was  going  back  to 
America  with  me — when  I  go.  That  is  why  I  am 
telling  you  the  story;  I  know  your  kind  little  heart 
that  is  part  French  will  find  pity  and  affection  for  this 
poor  fellow  who  has  suffered  so  much  that  little 
girls  like  you  might  go  on  living  happy  safe  lives  in 
a  good  world,  and  you  will  be  kind  to  him  when  I 
bring  him  home  with  me. 

"Home — Renee,  it  seems  so  funny  for  me  to  think 
of  a  home!  I  used  to  dream  of  having  one  but  I 
have  found  out  some  dreams  don't  come  true,  and 
since  then  I've  just  wandered  from  one  country  to 
another  building  bridges  and  railroads  and  such 
things.  But  I  feel  tired  now  and  I  think  when  I 
go  back  I'll  fix  over  an  old  house  I  own  in  a  little 
town  up  in  the  Adirondack  mountains,  and  we'll  go 
there  and  we'll  be  happy,  or  at  least  I  promise  I'll 
see  that  you  are  happy.  And  we'll  keep  the  French 


A  LETTER  FROM  FRANCE      213 

soldier  I've  adopted  as  long  as  he  will  stay,  won't  we? 

"  When  I  was  in  Paris  I  went  down  and  spent  a 
whole  day  with  Susette  and  Gabriel.  They  are  well, 
Gabriel's  rheumatism  is  better,  and  he  declares  it 
is  the  slippers  you  sent  him — he  wears  them  all  the 
time.  They  are  happy  getting  their  garden  ready 
and  the  florists  in  Paris  are  placing  more  orders  for 
violets  than  before  the  war.  Prosperity  shines  in 
every  wrinkle  in  Susette's  face.  She  pointed  out  to 
me  where  she  has  hung  the  Stars  and  Stripes  along- 
side of  the  Tri -color  and  told  me  that  I  must  tell 
you.  Your  picture  was  in  a  place  of  honor  on  the 
shelf  under  the  Madonna  and  there  was  over  it  a  tiny 
wreath  of  waxed  snowdrops  which  Susette  says  she 
made  hertelf.  I  looked  at  the  picture  and  I  said 
to  myself :  '  Bill  Allan,  that  big  girl  with  the  very 
nice  eyes  is  your  ward,  given  into  your  care  by  the 
bravest  lad  you  ever  knew — see  that  you  live  up 
to  the  charge  with  the  best  that's  in  you ! '  That 
was  the  vow  I  made  in  front  of  your  picture,  Renee. 

"Some  day  when  we've  saved  enough  money  we'll 
go  back  and  visit  Susette.  But  she's  happy,  Renee — 
the  way  we're  all  happy  over  here — the  righting  is 
over! 

"  You  and  I  can  never  thank  the  Everetts  for  all 
they  have  done  for  us.  I  bless  the  Fate  that  brought 


2i4  LARKSPUR 

that  very  lively  Miss  Pat  into  the  Red  Cross  office 
for  I'll  admit  right  at  that  moment  I  didn't  know 
what  to  do  with  you !  I  think  that  in  a  few  weeks  I'll 
be  sent  back  to  America  and  then  I  will  try  to  tell 
them  how  grateful  we  are  .  .  ." 

The  letter  concluded  with  a  brief  description  of 
the  hospital  and  its  beautiful,  cloistered  grounds 
where,  long  before,  monks  had  found  rest  from  the 
world's  strife.  But  not  one  of  the  three  listened; 
Aunt  Pen's  thoughts,  even  while  her  lips  went  on 
framing  the  words  of  the  letter,  were  back,  repeating 
over  and  over — "  I  used  to  dream  of  having  a  home 
but  I  found  out  some  dreams  can't  come  true !  " 
and,  as  she  finished  and  folded  the  letter,  her  eyes, 
staring  out  over  the  wet  housetc  ps,  saw  vividly  again 
the  college  campus  and  the  old  stone  bench  under  a 
spreading  elm  where  she  and  another  had  talked 
about  that  very  house  in  the  Adirondacks ! 

"  It  is  my  Will !  "  she  murmured  almost  aloud. 
But  for  once  Pat  was  too  concerned  with  her  own 
worry  to  notice  her  Aunt  Pen's  absorption! 

"  I  think  it's  just  mean  in  him  to  say  he's  coming 
over  here  and  take  Renee  away  to  some  old  place — 
we  won't  let  her  go !  "  she  exploded. 

A  little  dread  of  this  same  thing  was  disturbing 
Renee !  Though  she  had  in  the  long  trip  across  the 


A  LETTER  FROM  FRANCE      215 

sea  learned  to  respect  and  trust  her  new  guardian, 
and,  because  Emile  had  placed  her  under  his  care, 
would  always  feel  a  strong  loyalty  for  him,  she 
shrank  a  little  from  the  thought  of  leaving  these 
kind  friends  and  going  to  a  strange  home.  Aunt 
Pen,  coming  with  an  effort  back  from  her  own 
dreams,  read  what  was  passing  in  both  Pat's  and 
Renee's  minds. 

"  Let's  not  worry,  girlies !  I  know  everything  is 
going1  to  turn  out  just  the  way  that  will  make  every- 
one happy — when  Capt.  Allan  returns!  " 

Now  Pat  suddenly  grew  suspicious ! 

"  You  speak  just  as  though  you  knew  something 
we  didn't  know,  Penelope  Everett!  What  is  it? 
Did  you  know  Renee's  guardian  before  ?  You've  got 
to  tell  us  everything!  "  And  Pat,  a  vision  in  her  mind 
of  romance  and  mystery  unfolded  at  last,  knelt 
before  Aunt  Pen  and  rested  her  elbows  upon  Aunt 
Pen's  knees  with  an  air  that  said :  "  I'm  ready  now 
to  hear  the  whole  story !  " 

But  Aunt  Pen's  face,  rosy  red,  did  not  suggest 
the  secret  sorrow  that  Pat  had  liked  to  imagine !  She 
laughingly  pushed  Pat  away. 

"  What  an  old  teaser  you  are !  Yes,  this  is  the 
same  Will  Allan  I  knew !  He  used  to  tell  me,  some- 


216  LARKSPUR 

times,  of  the  old  house  in  the  mountains  which  an 
aunt  had  left  him.  Then  he  went  to  South  America 
to  build  a  bridge  or  something!  There's  nothing 
more  to  tell !  " 

Pat  was  visibly  disappointed. 

"  Well,  anyway,  will  you  promise  to  keep  him 
from  separating  Ren  and  me?  "  she  begged. 

Aunt  Pen  slipped  the  letter  back  into  its  envelope. 
"  I'll  promise  to  do  my  best  to  keep  him  from — 
separating  you — very  far!  If  he  remembers  me," 
she  added  with  sudden  alarm !  Such  a  thought  had 
not  occurred  to  her!  Now  it  brought  a  tiny  droop 
in  the  corner  of  her  lips.  "  Anyway,  Pat,  much  as 
we  love  Renee  we  must  not  forget  that  Capt.  Allan 
has  the  first  claim,  though  I  am  sure  he  will  be 
anxious  to  do  whatever  will  make  her  the  most 
happy !  He  may  let  Renee  decide." 

"  Oh,  that  would  be  dreadful! "  cried  Renee. 

But  the  thought  satisfied  Pat.  She  stood  up  with 
sudden  resolution.  "  Well,  then,  I'm  going  to  begin 
right  now  teasing  Renee  every  minute  to  choose 
us!  I'm  glad  the  letter  came!  Everything  was  so 
dull  and  now  it's  exciting  again!  And  that  poor 
Frenchman — let's  go  over  to  Peggy's,  Ren,  and  tell 
her  all  about  him !  As  if  we  minded  rain,  anyway !  " 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE    LOST    BABY 

"  REN,  you  look  as  though  you'd  stepped  out  of 
a  picture  book! " 

Renee  did,  indeed !  With  odds  and  ends  from  the 
scrap-bag  and  the  store-room  upstairs  she  and  Pat 
had  put  together  an  Alsatian  costume.  Pat,  perched 
cross-legged  in  the  middle  of  the  bed  with  a  book 
on  Historical  Costumes  stretched  across  her  knees, 
proclaimed  her  satisfaction  with  their  handiwork 
while  Renee  turned  and  turned  before  the  long  mir- 
ror, stopping  to  spread  out  the  full  short  skirt  or 
perk  up  the  enormous  bow  that  adorned  her  head. 

Keineth  Randolph  was  going  to  give  a  party. 
It  was  to  be  a  costume  party ;  there  was  to  be  dancing 
as  well  as  games ;  all  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  Ran- 
dolph's acquaintance  had  been  invited.  They  always 
loved  to  go  to  the  Randolph's  home;  the  house, 
though  small,  seemed  to  have  been  built  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  giving  young  people  room  for  a  good 
time;  John  Randolph,  himself,  could  be  as  young  as 
the  youngest  and  Keineth,  always  good-humored, 
was  a  hospitable  little  hostess.  Add  real  musicians, 

217 


2i8  LARKSPUR 

tucked  off  on  the  landing  of  the  stair,  a  table  in  the 
corner  of  the  dining-room  laden  with  goodies  dear  to 
young  folks,  witches  and  goblins,  lords  and  ladies 
of  past  kingdoms,  monks,  fairies,  clowns  and  elves 
to  make  merry — well,  "  it  will  be  one  grand  party !  " 
Pat  had  declared. 

She  herself  had  been  torn  in  mind  as  to  what  she 
wanted  to  be.  She  pictured  herself  as  Jeanne  d'Arc, 
glorious  in  silver  armor  and  lance  in  hand ;  she  con- 
sidered Mary,  Queen  of  Scots;  then  her  romantic 
fancy  favored  Cinderella !  But  learning  from  Peggy 
that  Garrett  was  going  as  the  brave  Powhatan,  the 
Indian  Chief,  she  promptly  decided  to  tease  Garrett 
by  appearing  as  Pocahontas!  Aunt  Pen  was  shop- 
ping at  that  very  moment  trying  to  find  the  gayest 
feather  duster  in  the  city  with  which  to  decorate  her. 

"  Pat,  I'll  wear  my  locket ! "  cried  Renee,  turn- 
ing from  the  mirror. 

She  ran  to  her  drawer  as  she  spoke  and  drew 
from  it  the  little  case.  Pat  watched  her  approvingly 
as  she  fastened  the  bright  red  band  about  her  throat. 
It  added  a  piquant  spot  of  color  to  the  quaint  cos- 
tume and  the  curious  old  locket  looked  as  though  it 
might  have  been  fashioned  by  some  old  artisan  for  a 
royal  lady  in  the  days  when  feudal  lords  reigned 
over  France! 


THE  LOST  BABY  219 

"  It's  perfect! "  Pat  gave  a  leap  over  the  low 
footboard  of  her  bed  to  examine  more  closely  Renee's 
entire  appearance. 

"  You're  going  to  be  the  best  thing  there,"  she 
declared  conclusively.  "  I  know  everyone  will  be 
crazy  over  you !  Won't  it  be  fun  ?  I  can't  wait  until 
Thursday  comes!  Only  then  it'll  be  over  so  soon!  " 
And  Pat  sighed  deeply,  as  millions  of  others  have 
sighed  over  the  rapid  flight  of  time ! 

Maggie  tapped  at  the  door. 

"  There's  a  queer  old  woman  downstairs  a-asking 
for  you,  Miss  Renee !  " 

"For  me?"  Renee  turned,  startled.  Then  a 
sudden  thought  enlightened  her.  "  It  must  be 
Elsbeth!" 

She  ran  quickly  down  the  stairs  to  the  door  fol- 
lowed by  Pat.  It  was  Elsbeth,  the  queer  old  servant 
who  lived  with  Mrs.  Forrester.  At  sight  of  Renee 
she  turned  a  face  white  with  distress. 

"  Oh,  Miss  Renny,  Miss  Renny,  she's  took  again ! 
Mis'  Lee  sent  me  to  fetch  you !  You  must  come !" 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Elsbeth — Mrs.  Forrester? 
Til  go  with  you  at  once !  " 

"  I  think  that's  mean,  Renee !  We  were  going  to 
plan  my  costume — you  know  it !  "  protested  Pat. 

"  Oh,  Pat! "    Renee's  voice  pleaded   from  the 


220  LARKSPUR 

depths  of  the  hall  closet  where  she  was  hunting 
for  her  warm  coat.  "  Oh,  Pat — you  wouldn't  want 
me  not  to  go !  The  poor  thing !  " 

Pat  was  a  little  ashamed;  however  she  did  not 
want  to  show  it — she  cast  an  accusing  look  at  old 
Elsbeth  as  though  she  was  to  blame. 

"  Well,  I  don't  believe  I'd  leave  you  for  any 
of  the  Kewpies,  but  I'll  get  along  somehow!"  and 
assuming  the  air  of  a  martyr  she  started  slowly 
back  up  the  stairs. 

"  I'll  get  back  as  quickly  as  I  can,  truly,  Patsy, 
so  wait  for  me !  "  Pat  paused  in  her  ascent.  "  You're 
never  going  in  that  costume,  are  you  ?  " 

Renee  had  completely  forgotten  what  she  had  on ! 
However,  she  only  laughed  and  buttoned  the  coat 
up  closely  about  her  throat. 

"  Oh,  it  won't  make  any  difference !  I'm  ready, 
Elsbeth— let's  hurry !  " 

"  She  was  took  last  night  with  one  of  her  spells 
and  cried  and  wouldn't  take  her  powders!  And 
to-day  she's  still  like  she  was  dead,"  the  old  servant 
explained  to  Renee  as  they  almost  ran  through  the 
streets.  They  made  a  curious  pair — the  young  girl's 
scarlet  skirts  swinging  out  below  the  coat,  the  gilded 
cardboard  with  which  she  had  covered  her  slippers 
flopping  about  her  ankles  and  the  ends  of  the  big 


THE  LOST  BABY  221 

black  bow  peeping  out  from  under  the  soft  hat  she 
had  clapped  upon  her  head ;  Elsbeth,  hobbling  in  her 
effort  to  keep  up  with  the  younger  feet,  her  loosened 
ends  of  stringy  gray  hair  flying  in  every  direction, 
and  her  hands  rolled  in  the  apron  she  tried  vainly 
to  conceal  under  the  short,  shabby  jacket  she  wore. 

"  The  Lord  sent  Mis'  Lee,"  she  gasped,  panting 
for  breath,  "  and  she  sez — go  fetch  Miss  Renny ! 
An' I  come!" 

"  She'll  be  better,  I  know,  with  Mrs.  Lee  there ! 
Don't  worry,  Elsbeth,"  and  Renee,  heedless  of  the 
panting  breath  beside  her,  quickened  her  pace  so  that 
in  a  very  few  minutes  she  was  tapping  at  the  door. 

Mrs.  Lee  opened  it  and  drew  Renee  into  the  dingy 
parlor.  She  went  to  one  of  the  windows  and  raised 
the  shade  to  the  very  top,  letting  in  a  flood  of  warm 
sunshine.  Then  she  whispered  to  Renee : 

"  The  doctor  is  with  her  now.  It  is  the  first  time 
since  I  have  known  her  that  we  could  get  her  to  see 

a  doctor !  Take  off  your  coat,  my  dear !  Oh " 

she  stared  for  a  moment,  puzzled,  then  laughed: 
"you  were  trying  on  your  costume  for  Keineth's 
party !  You  are  a  picture,  my  dear !  "  She  hesitated, 
as  though  something  in  Renee' s  face  suddenly  held 
her  attention. 

"  Just  for  a  moment  you  made  me  think  of 


222  LARKSPUR 

someone,  but  I  can't  tell  who !  Perhaps  it  is  that  you 
so  thoroughly  look  the  part  of  a  little  Maid  of 
Alsace !  I  thought,  while  we  were  waiting,  I  might 
tell  you  a  little  more  of  poor  Mrs.  Forrester's  story. 
Then  you  will  understand  why  she  suffers  as  she 
does !  She  was  not  always  alone  as  she  is  now — she 
once  had  a  beautiful  young  daughter " 

"  Oh,"  broke  in  Renee,  excitedly,  "  was  that  the 
lost  baby?" 

"  Yes,  though  she  was  twenty  years  old!  Now 
the  mother  always  thinks  of  her  as  a  baby." 

"Did  she  die?" 

"  No — to  Mrs.  Forrester  then  it  was  worse  than 
death.  The  two  of  them  seemed  to  have  been  quite 
alone  in  the  world;  the  mother  cared  for  nothing 
but  the  little  girl.  Every  luxury  that  money  could 
buy  she  heaped  upon  her  with  a  lavish  hand.  One 
might  think  that  the  child  would  have  been  dreadfully 
spoiled  but  those  who  knew  them  say  she  was  sweet 
and  gentle,  pretty  as  a  flower.  When  she  was  a  little 
older  the  mother  took  her  away — she  must  have  the 
best  schooling  that  money  could  obtain.  They  trav- 
eled a  great  deal,  too.  And  all  the  while,  as  the 
young  girl  grew  toward  womanhood,  the  proud 
mother  was  building  plans  for  the  wonderful  future 
her  child  must  have!  I  do  not  know  of  just  what 


;THE  LOST  BABY  223 

greatness  she  dreamed — whether  it  was  of  some 
Duchess  Somebody  or  even  a  prince's  title — I  only 
know  that  she  held  money  and  high  social  position 
as  the  greatest  gifts  with  which  a  Kindly  Providence 
could  endow  her  flower  and  lost  sight  of  what  makes 
real  happiness  in  this  world ! 

"  It  sounds  like  a  fairy  tale,  my  dear !  While  the 
proud  mother  was  dreaming  her  golden  dreams,  the 
young  girl  met  and  fell  in  love  with  a  poor  artist — 
a  boy,  for  he  was  only  twenty-two,  whose  family  was 
quite  unknown  and  who  had  nothing  in  the  wide 
world  but  a  profound  belief  in  his  own  great  talent. 
The  young  girl  went  proudly  and  joyously  with  him 
to  the  mother  to  tell  of  their  happiness.  The  mother 
would  only  believe  that  the  boy  was  an  adventurer — 
a  fortune  seeker;  she  saw  an  end  to  the  plans  of  her 
whole  lifetime,  an  obscure  future  for  the  girl  she  had 
so  carefully  educated.  She  sent  the  young  man  away 
and  forbade  his  communicating'  in  any  way  with  her 
daughter.  For  weeks  the  girl  pleaded  vainly,  the 
mother  would  not  listen ;  in  a  fury  of  disappointment 
she  even  locked  her  for  days  in  her  room,  thinking 
to  break  the  young  will !  But  there  is  an  old  saying 
that  true  love  will  find  a  way — the  day  came  when 
the  young  girl  slipped  away,  joined  her  lover  and 
a  few  hours  later  returned  to  tell  the  mother  that 


224  LARKSPUR 

they  had  been  married.  Then  it  was  that  anger  and 
baffled  pride  drove  out  all  love  and  justice  from  the 
mother's  heart ;  heaping  curses  upon  the  frightened 
girl  she  drove  her  from  her,  bidding  her  never  cross 
her  path  again!  The  girl  and  boy  went  away  and 
from  that  day  to  this  the  unhappy  woman  has  never 
laid  eyes  upon  them.  Her  rage  brought  about  a  spell 
not  unlike  what  she  is  having  now;  for  days  and 
days  she  lay  in  her  bed  refusing  to  let  anyone  near 
her.  Then,  finally,  as  the  weeks  grew  into  months, 
slowly  into  her  heart  crept  the  realization  of  what 
she  had  done.  Remorse  began  eating  at  her  soul. 
She  tried  vainly  to  find  some  trace  of  the  daughter ; 
with  only  Elsbeth  she  wandered  for  month  after 
month  over  every  country  of  the  globe,  seeking  every- 
where! She  spent  almost  a  fortune  on  her  search. 
But  there  was  never  a  sign.  It  was  as  if  the  world 
had  swallowed  them.  And,  finally,  broken  by  her 
sorrow,  unhappy  and  discouraged,  without  any 
friends  and  with  only  a  little  of  her  former  wealth 
left,  she  came  back  to  this  city  and  to  this  old  house. 
It  looked  then  just  the  way  it  does  now.  She  threw 
out  anything  in  it  that  might  make  it  even  a  little 
cheerful  and  then  settled  down  to  die!  But  life, 
cruelly  enough,  has  hung  on  and  on !  I  have  learned 
her  story  from  things  she  has  told  me;  for  some 


THE  LOST  BABY  225 

strange  reason  she  has  seemed  to  want  to  confide  in 
me.  And  Elsbeth,  too,  has  sometimes  softened  a 
little  and  talked  about  the  old  days!  That  is  her 
sad  story,  my  dear !  I  know,  now,  how  tender  you 
will  always  be  with  her  and  I  have  often  thought 
that  perhaps  you  may  remind  her — a  little — of  the — 
lost  baby,  because  you  are  young  and  like  a  flower, 
too!" 

Two  bright  spots  of  color  burned  in  Renee' s 
cheeks.  To  herself  she  was  saying :  "  Wait  until  I 
tell  Pat!  "  The  thrill  of  the  secret  of  the  lost  baby 
held  her  more  than  any  sympathy  for  the  old  lady ; 
perhaps  deep  in  her  heart  some  sense  of  justice  told 
her  that  the  proud  mother  had  had  just  the  punish- 
ment she  deserved. 

Mrs.  Lee  had  turned  toward  the  door.  "  The 
doctor  is  going !  Wait  here,  Renee,  until  I  call  you. 
He  may  have  some  directions  to  give." 

Renee  looked  about  the  room.  What  a  horrible 
place !  Even  the  gold  of  the  sunlight  dimmed  to  a 
cold  lustre  as  it  lay  across  the  dusty  surface  of  the 
shabby  furniture!  Everything  was  so  unspeakably 
ugly  and  so  still!  She  suddenly  felt  very  lonely. 
A  moment's  wild  impulse  tempted  her  to  run  back 
to  Pat  as  fast  as  her  feet  could  fly !  They  had  been 
having  such  fun  fixing  the  costumes;  the  pink-cur- 
'15 


226  LARKSPUR 

tained  room  had  been  so  cheery,  Peter  Pan  had  been 
singing  so  lustily — why  should  she  stay  here? 

Except  for  the  low  murmur  of  voices  from  the 
hall  where  Mrs.  Lee  was  talking  to  the  doctor,  the 
only  sound  to  break  the  awful  stillness  was  the  loud 
ticking  of  old  Elsbeth's  clock  in  the  kitchen.  It 
had  a  mournfully  resentful  tick  as  much  as  to  say 
to  its  unhappy  listeners :  "  No  matter  how  wretched 
you  feel,  I  go  on — I  go  on — I  go  on !  " 

The  door  going  into  the  room  where  Mrs.  For- 
rester lay  was  closed.  As  she  thought  of  crossing 
its  threshold  little  Renee  shuddered.  A  fear  she 
could  not  explain  gripped  her!  After  all,  she  was 
only  a  little  girl ;  she  had  never  seen  anyone  suffer — 
except  Gabriel  when  he  was  tortured  with  his  rheu- 
matism; she  had  never  seen  anyone  die — iier  own 
dear  mother  had  seemed  to  just  go  to  sleep!  And 
what  if  Mrs.  Forrester  should  die?  If  she  wanted 
to  go  back  home,  surely  Mrs.  Lee  would  let  her  go ! 

And  then,  as  she  waited,  bits  of  the  story  Mrs. 
Lee  had  told  her  flashed  back  across  her  thoughts 
and  held  her.  Now  her  sympathy  was  not  so  much 
for  the  girl  bride  as  for  the  poor,  lonely  mother, 
wandering  broken-hearted,  over  the  world! 

"  The  poor  thing !  "  she  said  aloud,  and  then 
jumped  at  the  sound  of  her  own  voice. 


THE  LOST  BABY  227 

A  door  closed  behind  the  doctor;  Mrs.  Lee  came 
into  the  room. 

"  She  is  quiet  now.  The  doctor  says  there  is  no 
danger.  It  is  all  her  nerves.  Only — women  her 
age  can't  indulge  in  hysterics  without  serious  results ! 
What  a  picture  you  are  in  all  this  gloom,  child !  It's 
a  strange  coincidence  that  you  should  have  had  this 
dress  on !  Perhaps  it  will  rouse  her." 

Somehow,  now,  Renee  did  not  feel  a  bit  like  ask- 
ing to  go  home.  She  was  not  even  very  much 
afraid.  With  Mrs.  Lee  she  stepped  softly  down  the 
dim  hall  toward  the  qlosed  door. 

"  Anything,  Renee,  that  will  make  her  forget 
herself  will  help  her,"  whispered  Mrs.  Lee.  "  Tell 
her  about  Keineth's  party — anything!"  They 
walked  into  the  room.  The  doctor  had  raised  one 
of  the  cracked  shades  so  that  the  sun  was  slanting 
in.  Mrs.  Lee  had  put  some  extra  pillows  under  the 
patient's  head;  she  was  half-sitting,  a  pathetically 
little  figure  in  the  great  ugly  bed.  Her  face  was 
turned  toward  the  wall.  She  lay  perfectly  still; 
Renee  might  have  thought  that,  like  her  mother,  she 
was  sleeping,  except  that  her  thin  fingers  twitched  at 
the  edge  of  the  bedspread. 

"  I  have  brought  Renee,"  Mrs.  Lee  said  softly. 

There  was  no  answer. 


228  LARKSPUR 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  have  her  stay  with 
you  for  a  little  while!" 

"Oh — go  away — all  of  you!"  came  pettishly. 
"  Can't  you  let  an  old  woman  die  in  peace?  Will 
it  ever  come?  "  she  moaned  into  her  pillow. 

Renee  felt  so  indignant  that  anyone  should  be 
praying  like  this  to  die  that  she  stepped  to  the  side 
of  the  bed. 

"  But  the  doctor  says  you  are  not  going  to  die," 
she  answered  quickly,  with  a  stubborn  note  in  her 
sweet  voice. 

The  moment  she  had  spoken  she  was  very  fright- 
ened but  she  could  not  have  said  anything  that  would 
have  so  quickly  roused  the  old  lady.  It  roused  her 
because  it  angered  her;  she  jerked  her  head  around. 
However,  what  she  might  have  retorted  in  answer 
was  checked  by  her  utter  amazement  at  seeing  the 
strange,  quaint  little  figure  by  her  bedside. 

"  Who  are  you?  "  she  demanded  angrily.  "  Who 
let  you  in  here?  " 

The  child  stepped  closer.  "  I'm  Renee !  "  she 
answered  gently. 

"You  that  little  Renee?  Come  here!"  Mrs. 
Forrester  commanded  stretching  out  a  thin  hand. 

Renee  stepped  close  to  the  head  of  the  bed  and 


IT  IS   HERS  !      MY   BABY  !  " 


THE  LOST  BABY  229 

leaned  over.  Mrs.  Forrester  touched  her  cheek  and 
her  hair. 

"  So  it  is!  So  it  is!  "  and  her  voice  softened. 
Then  a  gleam  of  sunlight  from  the  unshaded  window 
struck  across  the  curious  old  locket.  Suddenly  the 
sick  woman  sat  bolt  upright  in  bed  and  clutched 
with  both  hands  at  the  red  band. 

"  That — that "  she  screamed.  "  Where  did 

you  get  it?"  She  tore  at  the  velvet  band  until  it 
hurt  Renee  cruelly.  Her  voice  rose  to  a  shriek. 
"  It  is  hers!  My  baby! " 

As  her  fingers  fumbled  over  the  face  of  the  locket 
a  part  of  it  suddenly  opened  and  from  a  hiding  place 
within  dropped  a  tiny  gold  key !  The  old  lady  cried 
loudly  and  held  it  up. 

"  I  knew  it!  I  knew  it! "  Then  she  sank  back 
among  the  pillows,  turned  slowly  to  Renee  and  whis- 
pered hoarsely : 

"  But  who  are  you?" 


CHAPTER  XXI 
RENEE'S  BOX 

"WHO  are  you?" 

Of  course  they  all  thought  Mrs.  Forrester  was 
having  a  spell !  Renee  was  terribly  frightened — the 
more  so  because  now  one  of  the  thin  hands  was  grip- 
ping her  arm  so  that  it  hurt. 

Elsbeth,  more  wild  and  disheveled  than  ever, 
pushed  at  Renee  and  leaned  over  the  bed,  a  tumbler 
in  one  hand,  some  powders  in  the  other. 

"  Mis'  Forrester!  Please,  Mis'  Forrester!  "  she 
pleaded,  tears  running  down  her  wrinkled  cheeks. 

But  Mrs.  Forrester  struck  angrily  at  the  hand 
holding  the  powders  and  sent  them  in  a  tiny  cloud  of 
dust  all  over  the  covers. 

"  Go  away,  you  old  fool !  "  she  cried,  "  can't  you 
see  I've  found  my  baby?  No  one  else  anywhere  in 
the  world  had  a  locket  like  that !  " 

Mrs.  Lee  suddenly  remembered  who  it  was  that 
Renee  had  looked  like!  It  was  the  faded  picture 
Elsbeth  had  once  shown  her  of  the  young  daughter 
of  Mrs.  Forrester!  She  stepped  forward  now  and 
answered  for  Renee. 
230 


RENEE'S":BOX  231 

"  She  is  Renee  LaDue,  but  I  think — I  believe — 
she  must  be  your  grandchild !  " 

Mrs.  Forrester  was  sitting  bolt  upright  and  the 
pillows  had  fallen  all  about  her.  Two  bright  spots 
of  red  burned  on  her  cheeks  and  her  eyes,  as  they 
stared  through  and  through  Renee,  were  alight  with 
life.  She  was  a  different  creature  from  the  one  who 
had  lain  limply  on  the  ugly  bed,  her  face  turned 
toward  the  wall !  Only  her  voice  still  sounded  weak 
and  shrill. 

"  Your  mother — answer,  child !  " 

Then,  more  than  anything  else  in  the  world, 
Renee  wanted  to  run  away!  But  the  hand  on  her 
arm  held  her  tight.  And,  too,  who  was  this  old 
lady  who  had  known  that  the  key  was  in  the  locket 
when  she  and  Emile  had  not  known  it  ? 

"  My  mother's  name  was  Amy " 

"  My  baby !  "  Now  the  old  lady  sank  back  among 
the  pillows;  she  commenced  to  sob— dry,  heart- 
breaking sobs.  "  My  baby !  You  are  her  little  girl ! 
I  have  found  her!  " 

And  then  a  strange  thing  happened!  For  sud- 
denly Renee  lost  all  her  fear  and  over  her  swept  a  joy 
that  she  had  found  someone — someone  to  really,  truly 
belong  to !  So  very  shyly  she  reached  out  and  took 
one  of  the  thin  hands  in  her  own. 


232  LARKSPUR 

Mrs.  Lee  gently  told  the  old  woman  as  much  of 
Renee  as  she  knew;  how  the  mother  had  died  five 
years  before,  how  she  had  made  the  brother  promise 
to  some  day  bring  the  little  girl  back  to  America  to 
live,  how  the  brother  had  given  his  life  for  France, 
the  country  of  his  mother's  adoption,  and  an  Ameri- 
can officer  had  fulfilled  the  promise.  As  she  listened 
Mrs.  Forrester  kept  her  eyes  fastened  on  Renee' s 
face  and  Renee  held  tightly  to  the  trembling  hand. 

When  Mrs.  Lee  had  finished  Mrs.  Forrester  lay 
still  for  a  long  time.  Then  she  said  softly :  "  God 
has  been  good  to  a  wicked  old  woman  because  my 
flower  had  gone  to  Heaven  and  pleaded  for  me !  I 
am  forgiven."  And  she  closed  her  eyes  as  though 
at  last  a  peace  of  soul  had  come  upon  her ! 

"Is — is  the  key — a  key  (to  a  box?  "  Renee  asked. 

Her  grandmother  roused  suddenly. 

"Yes — yes!  A  leather  box — have  you  got  it? 
My  grandmother  gave  it  to  my  darling — with  the 
locket — when  she  was  fifteen." 

"  My  mother  gave  it  to  Emile  just  before — she 
died!  She  never  told  him  about  the  key  but  she 
made  him  promise  to  let  no  one  break  it  open.  And 
of  course  we  never  would !  " 

"  Shall  I  go  and  get  it?  "  asked  Mrs.  Lee.  She 
felt  that  for  a  little  while  it  might  be  better  to  leave 


RENEE'S  BOX  233 

the  old  lady  and  the  child  alone.  Renee  made  a  move 
as  though  to  go,  too,  but  Mrs.  Lee  motioned  her  back. 

"  Aunt  Pen  will  tell  me  where  I  can  find  it !  You 
stay  here,  my  dear,"  and  she  hurried  away. 

Elsbeth  had  been  watching  the  unusual  happen- 
ings with  a  suspicious,  jealous  eye.  She  loved  her 
strange  old  mistress  better  than  anything  on  earth ; 
she  resented  these  strangers  usurping  her  place ! 

"  Missus  had  best  lay  down  now  and  keep  quiet," 
she  said,  coming  forward  with  an  authoritative  air. 

"  If  ye'll  jes'  take  a  powder "  But  she  got  no 

further;  Mrs.  Forrester  burst  into  a  laugh!  And 
Elsbeth  was  so  startled  that  her  knees  knocked 
together,  for,  not  for  many  years,  had  she  heard  her 
mistress  laugh — and  such  a  laugh ! 

"  Elsbeth,  stupid,  can't  you  see  I'm  a  well  woman  ? 
That  I  am  happy  again?  None  of  your  powders 
any  more!  Go  about  your  business — ransack  your 
pantry  and  find  some  food  for  my  pretty  one  here ! 
My  flower — my  baby !  "  And  with  a  look  that  trans- 
formed her  thin  face  she  lifted  her  arms  and  closed 
them  about  little  Renee. 

"  Tell  me,"  she  whispered,  as  though  it  must  be 
a  secret  between  them,  "  was  she  ever  unhappy?  " 

Renee  answered  very  slowly  because  she  was 
thinking  very  hard.  She  tried  to  make  the  mother 


234  LARKSPUR 

know  that  her  own  dear  mother  had  been  always 
cheerful,  always  singing  and  telling  beautiful  stories 
and  playing  with  her  among  the  flowers — and  was 
only  unhappy  when  Emile  brought  out  the  father's 
tools. 

"  That  was  because  he  had  been  blind,  and  I  heard 
her  tell  Emile  once  that  his  heart  had  broken  because 
he  could  not  do  his  work!  For  a  long  time  she 
guided  his  ringers  for  him !  She  herself  used  to  take 
the  things  they  made  to  Paris  to  sell,  and,  when  she 
couldn't  sell  them,  she  and  Susette  used  to  hide  them 
so  he  couldn't  know — Susette  told  me  all  that!  I 
think  we  were  very,  very  poor,  but  my  mother 
always  seemed  happy.  She  used  to  sew  sometimes, 
until  she  was  very  tired.  We  never  had  anything  but 
the  flowers  to  play  with  and  the  games  she  used  to 
make  up.  And  she  always  talked  of  the  time  when 
she  would  bring  us  both  to  America !  '  It  was  my 
country  and  it  must  be  yours,'  she  used  to  tell  us 
pver  and  over !  " 

"  Did  she — did  she — ever  tell  you — about  me?  " 

Renee  hesitated.  She  knew  that  what  she  must 
say  would  hurt  the  old  lady  deeply.  But  before  she 
could  speak  Mrs.  Forrester  answered  herself. 

"  Of  course  she  would  not !  I  had  forbidden  it !  " 
and  in  her  voice  was  the  bitterness  of  remorse. 


RENEE'S  BOX  235 

Then  Renee  told  her  of  the  cottage  at  St.  Cloud 
where,  since  as  far  back  as  she  could  remember,  they 
had  lived  with  Susette  and  Gabriel.  She  told,  too, 
of  Emile  and  the  days  when  he  had  gone  to  Paris  to 
study  with  an  old  sculptor,  and  how  bravely  he  had 
gone  away  to  war  with  a  company  from  St.  Cloud ! 

Mrs.  Forrester  pushed  Renee's  hair  back  and 
looked  intently  at  her. 

"  I  can  see  it  now !  You  are  like  her — a  little ! 
But  your  eyes  are  like — your  father's." 

There  were  voices  in  the  hall  and  in  a  moment 
Mrs.  Lee  and  Aunt  Pen  walked  into  the  room.  Aunt 
Pen  wras  greatly  excited  and  came  straight  to  Renee. 

"  I  am  so  glad,  my  dear,"  she  whispered. 

But  no  one  had  eyes  for  anything  but  the  queer 
old  box  which  Mrs.  Lee  had  placed  upon  the  bed. 

"How  old  it  looks,"  sighed  Mrs.  Forrester,  caress- 
ing for  a  moment  the  worn  leather.  Her  fingers 
trembled  so  that  she  could  not  hold  the  tiny  key  and 
it  was  Renee  who  fitted  it  into  the  lock  and  turned 
it.  It  turned  slowly  and  the  lid  fell  back,  revealing 
packages  of  papers  and  letters,  tied  neatly  together. 

Although  not  knowing  exactly  what  she  had 
always  imagined  was  in  the  box,  Renee  was  vaguely 
disappointed!  But  Mrs.  Forrester  fell  to  eagerly 


236  LARKSPUR 

sorting  over  the  packages.  Lying  loose  among  them 
was  a  folded  sheet,  addressed  to  herself. 

"  Her  writing !  "  she  cried,  holding  it  close  to 
her  eyes.  "  Read  it  for  me — I  cannot." 

"  Dearest  of  mothers,"  Renee  read.  The  writing 
showed  that  the  letter  had  been  written  under  stress 
of  deep  emotion.  "  It  was  only  because  he  needed 
me  so  much,  for  the  doctors  had  told  him  his  eyesight 
was  slowly  going,  that  I  could  hurt  you  by  acting 
against  your  wishes.  And  sometime  you  may  know 
that  I  have  always  loved  you  dearly  and  that  I  for- 
give you  as  I  pray  you  will  forgive  me." 

"  Oh,  my  darling,"  and  a  flood  of  tears  dropped 
on  the  sheet  of  paper.  "  It  is  as  though  she  was 
speaking  to  me ! "  she  whispered,  kissing  the  lines. 
And  indeed  a  great  stillness  held  the  room  as  though 
each  of  those  in  it  felt,  too,  the  spirit  of  Renee' s 
young  mother  among  them ! 

Mrs.  Forrester,  her  eyes  still  dim  with  tears, 
spread  out  the  other  papers  and  she  and  Mrs.  Lee 
and  Aunt  Pen  fell  to  examining  them,  while  Renee 
watched,  feeling  as  though  it  was  all  a  dream. 

They  found  an  old  journal  whose  contents 
explained  how  John  LaDue,  who  before  his  mar- 
riage with  Amy  Forrester  had  been  John  Tellers, 
had  gone  with  his  young  bride  to  Paris  where  they 


RENEE'S  BOX  237 

had  taken  the  name  of  LaDue.  Living  as  they  did 
in  simple  obscurity,  and  because  John  Tellers  had 
been  born  and  brought  up  among  the  French-speak- 
ing people  of  New  Orleans,  it  was  very  easy  for  them 
to  pass  as  a  young  French  sculptor  and  his  wife. 
And  the  friends  they  made  were  other  young  artists, 
struggling  along  like  themselves,  who  could  know 
nothing  about  the  proud,  unhappy  woman  who  was 
traveling  all  over  the  world,  seeking  her  daughter! 

The  journal  stopped  abruptly  at  the  record  of 
Renee's  birth.  Renee  remembered  Susette  telling  her 
that  it  was  when  she  had  been  a  tiny  baby  that  her 
father  had  become  totally  blind  and  they  had  moved 
to  St.  Cloud  that  he  might  have  the  benefit  of  the 
pure  air  and  the  sunshine. 

Aunt  Pen  discovered  a  package  of  papers  that 
proved  to  be  United  States  government  bonds.  They 
had  been  given  to  Renee's  mother  on  her  twentieth 
birthday,  six  months  before  her  marriage.  They 
had  not  been  touched.  Penelope  exclaimed : 

"  A  small  fortune !    And  they  are  Renee's !  " 

Many  thoughts  were  shaping  in  poor  Renee's 
sadly  bewildered  little  head.  She  had  now,  what 
Peggy  always  called  "  folks  " — a  grandmother  and 
Elsbeth ;  even  though  it  was  an  ugly  old  house  she'd 
have  a  real,  real  home  all  of  her  own!  She  would 


23  8  LARKSPUR 

not  have  to  go  to  the  mountain  place  with  her  guar- 
dian and  the  strange  French  soldier !  And  yet  that 
disturbed  her  a  little.  Emile  had,  in  a  way,  given 
her  into  the  guardian's  keeping  and  not  to  a  strange 
old  woman !  So,  even  though  belonging  to  so  many, 
Renee  felt  torn  and  unhappy.  And  she  looked  almost 
scornfully  at  the  packet  which  Aunt  Pen  held  up  as 
though  precious — how  could  just  plain  papers  like 
that  be  a  fortune! 

Mrs.  Forrester,  who  looked  less  and  less  like  a 
sick  woman,  commenced  to  slowly  gather  up  the 
papers  and  place  them  back  neatly  in  the  leather  box. 
When  she  shut  down  the  lid  she  turned  to  Renee. 

"  I  thank  God  that  He  has  shown  me  His  mercy ! 
I  have  not  deserved  to  find  my  darling.  But  I  have 
been  punished !  No  one  knows  how  I  have  suffered ! 
And  maybe,  even  now,  I  am  not  fit  to  have  you.  I 
am  an  ugly  old  woman  who  has  cast  everything 
beautiful  out  of  her  life !  Perhaps  I  have  no  right  to 
keep  you!  You  have  good  friends — go  back  to 
them,  only  keep  in  your  heart  a  kind  thought  for  an 
old  woman " 

"  Oh,  I'll  stay — I'd  rather ! "  and  Renee  was  quite 
startled  that  she  could  decide  so  quickly. 

"You  mean  it?  Oh,  my  baby — my  pretty 
flower !  "  Then  a  sudden  resolution  lighted  the  old 


RENEE'S  BOX  239 

woman's  face.  "  It  will  be  as  though  that  mother- 
hood I  sacrificed  by  my  wicked  pride  was  given  back 
to  me !  Oh,  I  know  how  wicked  and  wrong  I  was 
and  how  I  wanted  for  my  precious  one  only  the 
things  that  my  own  pride  clamored  for!  But  you 
shall  not  stay  now — my  pretty  flower  would  wither 
and  fade  in  these  ugly  walls.  I  am  well,  again — and 
Elsbeth  and  I  will  clean  out  this  place !  It  shall  be 
made  bright  and  pretty  for  my  little  one !  You  must 
go  now,  back  with  your  good  friends,  then  after  a 
little " 

Every  one  thought  that  was  best.  Elsbeth  came 
in  with  a  tray  of  sandwiches  and  some  cocoa.  Every 
one  was  hungry  because  the  dinner  hour  was  long 
past  and,  in  the  excitement,  had  been  forgotten.  And 
as  they  ate  Mrs.  Forrester,  like  a  new  creature,  began 
energetically  to  give  Elsbeth  orders  as  to  what  she 
must  do  on  the  morrow  to  begin  the  work  of  trans- 
forming the  ugly  old  house  into  a  beautiful  home  for 
her  "  pretty  flower." 

Then,  one  by  one,  they  said  good-night  to  Mrs. 
Forrester,  and  Renee,  leaning  over,  kissed  her  and 
whispered  shyly : 

"  Good-night,  grandmother !  Very  soon  I  will 
come  back — to  stay." 


CHAPTER  XXII 

SURPRISES 

"  DINNER  is  served,  Miss  Pat ! " 

"  Why,  Aunt  Pen  and  Renee  are  not  here,"  cried 
Pat,  looking  up  from  a  book. 

"  Miss  Everett  said  that  dinner  should  not  wait ! 
It  is  a  quarter  past  seven.'7 

"  But  my  father " 

"  Mr.  Everett  is  dining  out." 

"  Well,  I  never !  "  Pat  threw  down  her  book 
crossly.  Drawing  herself  to  her  full  height,  she 
stalked  down  the  length  of  the  room  on  into  the 
dining-room,  where,  at  the  end  of  the  long  table, 
alight  with  the  sparkle  of  silver,  glass  and  china, 
one  lonely  place  had  been  set. 

She  wanted  very  much  to  throw  a  plate  at  Jasper 
who  was  biting  his  lip  to  keep  from  laughing  at  her 
aggrieved  air.  Instead  she  tossed  her  head  higher 
and,  in  her  haughtiest  manner,  ordered : 

"  Jasper,  will  you  see  at  once  what  Melodia  has 
made  for  dessert  and,  whatever  it  is,  tell  her  that  I 
want  two  extra  big  helpings !  " 

"So  there! "  she  muttered  to  hL  retreating  back 
and  felt  much  better ! 
240 


SURPRISES  241 

Pat  had  really  had  a  very  bad  afternoon.  She 
had  not  liked  one  bit  having  Renee  rush  away  in  the 
midst  of  all  their  fun  fixing  their  costumes!  She 
had  helped  Renee  and  Renee  had  left  her  to  fix 
her  own.  She  had  felt  decidedly  aggrieved.  Of 
course  she  was  sorry  for  the  sick  old  lady,  but  didn't 
Renee  love  her  more  than  anyone  else?  Or  didn't 
she? 

When  a  little  girl  begins  to  ponder  in  such  a 
fashion  she  can  soon  work  herself  into  a  sad  state 
of  blues.  That  was  what  Pat  did!  So  that  when 
Aunt  Pen  returned  with  a  feather  duster  made  of 
the  biggest,  brightest  feathers  that  had  ever  grown 
to  grace  a  young  Indian  princess,  Pat  didn't  care 
whether  or  not  she  even  went  to  Keineth's  party ! 

Then  the  climax  of  her  unhappiness  was  reached 
after  Mrs.  Lee  rushed  in  with  the  story  of  the  locket 
and  the  key.  Aunt  Pen  and  Pat  had  listened  with 
eyes  wide  with  astonishment. 

"  Oh,  it's  just  like  a  fairy  story !  "  Pat  had  cried. 

"  Dear  Renee!  It  will  mean  a  home  of  her  own 
for  the  child !  I  will  get  the  box  at  once.'* 

Pat  was  startled — a  home  of  Renee's  own!    She 

had  felt  that  they  might  coax  the  soldier-guardian  to 

leave  Renee  with  them  forever  and  ever,  but  here 

was  a  new  and  much  stronger  claim !    A  real  grand- 

16 


242  LARKSPUR 

motner — even  if  it  was  a  terrible  old  lady  who  had 
had  a  mystery ! 

Aunt  Pen  came  back  wearing  her  coat  and  hat. 
Pat  jumped  to  her  feet. 

"  Wait  for  me,  Aunt  Pen !  " 

"  No,  no,  my  dear !  Too  many  of  us  may  embar- 
rass Mrs.  Forrester!  You  must  stay  here." 

"  As  if  /  hadn't  found  Renee  in  the  first  place," 
thought  Pat  resentfully  as  they  went  away. 

Even  the  thought  that  the  mystery  of  the  "  lost 
baby  "  had  been  solved — and  solved  in  such  an  amaz- 
ing way,  brought  no  comfort — rather  a  sense  of 
envy !  All  the  others  had  had  such  exciting  things 
happen  to  them !  Sheila  had  had  the  lost  formulas. 
And  now  Renee  had  the  excitement  of  finding  a 
grandmother !  Nothing  at  all  ever  happened  to  her ! 
To  console  herself  she  scornfully  tore  to  bits  the 
first  four  chapters  of  her  story.  She'd  never  try  to 
be  a  famous  author — she'd  just  grow  up  and  do 
silly  things  like  Celia  always  did — they  were  fun, 
anyway !  And  Aunt  Pen  and  Renee,  when  they  real- 
ized that  she  was  never,  never  going  to  write  any- 
more stories,  would  feel  very  sorry! 

That  was  Pat's  state  of  mind  when  she  sat  down 
to  eat  her  lonely  dinner. 

Then  the  doorbell  rang.    Pat  heard  a  man's  voice 


SURPRISES  243 

talking  to  Jasper.  She  heard  Jasper  step  toward  the 
library.  She  was  immensely  curious — for  even  a 
very  unhappy  person  can  be  curious!  Daddy  was 
not  at  home — it  was  too  early  in  the  evening  for 
callers — who  could  it  be?  She  pushed  her  chair  back 
and  tip-toed  toward  the  hall. 

An  hour  later  Aunt  Pen  and  Renee,  returning 
home,  were  met  at  the  door  by  a  wildly-excited  Pat. 
Her  blues  had  disappeared  like  magic — the  expres- 
sion of  her  face,  every  motion  of  her  body  indicated 
that  she  had  a  secret!  She  held  her  fingers  to  her 
lips  to  forbid  a  sound.  Then  seizing  them  both  by 
the  elbows  she  whispered  into  their  amazed  ears : 

"  Oh,  the  bestest,  grandest  surprise  you  ever,  ever 
knew !  "  And  Pat  danced  up  and  down  and  giggled 
deep  in  her  throat  to  make  them  know  that  grand- 
mothers and  lost  babies  were  as  nothing  compared 
to  the  surprise  she  had  for  them  within  the  house ! 

"  Pat  Everett,  are  you  crazy?  "  whispered  Aunt 
Pen  back.  "  Aren't  you  going  to  let  us  in?  " 

"Of  course!"  answered  Pat  with  importance. 
"  You  may  walk  in  and  go  at  once  into  the  library ! 
But  you  must  shut  your  eyes  tight  and  promise  not 
to  peek  until  I  count " 

"  It's  your  mother !  "  declared  Penelope,  eagerly. 

"  Nopey — it's  a  bigger  surprise  than  that !    No 


244  LARKSPUR 

fair  guessing,  only  you  couldn't  anyway !  Now  come 
in  and  shut  your  eyes !  " 

So  they  had  to  do  just  what  Pat  told  them  to  do! 
And  Pat,  happier  than  she  had  ever  been  in  her  life, 
dancing  rather  than  stepping,  led  them  into  the 
library.  She  had  no  chance  to  count — a  sudden, 
quick  exclamation  made  them  both  open  their  eyes ! 

For  some  one  had  said :  "  Pen — Everett!  "  But 
Renee's  sharp  cry  drowned  out  the  sound.  She  saw, 
standing  a  little  behind  Capt.  Allan,  thin  in  his  shabby 
French  uniform,  the  empty  sleeve  pinned  to  his  tunic, 
Emile — her  beloved  Emile! 

In  an  instant  she  was  in  the  tight  clasp  of  his 
arm — they  were  both  crying — poor  little  Renee's 
heart  could  stand  no  more!  And  as  she  clung  to 
him  her  fingers  were  feeling  across  his  face  and 
through  his  hair  and  over  the  cloth  of  his  uniform 
as  though  to  tell  her  it  was  not  a  dream  but)  true! 

Pat  was  so  happy  for  Renee  that  she  found  her 
own  eyes  wet  and  turned  away  to  keep  back  the  tears. 
And  there  was  Aunt  Pen,  the  color  of  a  red  poppy, 
slipping  out  of  Capt.  Allan's  arm ! 

"  I  might  have  known,  Miss  Pat,  that  you  and  I 
were  old  friends — because  I  used  to  think  I  had  a 
sort  of  solid  claim  on  this  aunt  of  yours — only  I 
didn't  know  she  was  your  aunt! " 


SURPRISES  245 

With  a  triumphant  look  Pat  tried  to  tell  Aunt 
Pen  that  she  had  guessed  it  all  a  long  time  ago  but 
Aunt  Pen,  as  radiant  as  a  school  girl,  was  beaming 
upon  Capt.  Allan  and  Capt  Allan  was  shaking  Pat's 
hands  as  though  he  had  to  do  something  violent. 

Then  Aunt  Pen  went  to  Renee  and  kissed  Emile 
—for,  in  spite  of  the  deep  lines  that  his  suffering  hatf 
carved  on  his  face — he  looked  like  a  boy ! 

"  It  is  just  as  though  God  was  working  miracles," 
she  whispered  to  Renee. 

There  was  so  much  to  tell  that  no  one  knew 
just  where  to  begin !  They  all  knew,  now,  that  Capt. 
Allan's  French  soldier,  whom  he  had  found  in  the 
old  peasant's  cottage,  was  Emile.  Then  Emile,  still 
holding  Renee  in  the  circle  of  his  arm  as  though 
he  could  not  bear  to  let  her  go  for  one  little  moment, 
told  how  he  and  the  private  who  had  been  left  by  the 
scouting  party,  had  had  to  separate  in  order  to  get 
back  to  their  line. 

"  I  had  a  presentiment  that  I  was  going  to  be 
killed — I  gave  him  my  wallet  with  all  my  papers  and 
the  sketches  I  had  made.  That  was  why  they  thought 
it  was  I  who  had  been  killed !  " 

No  one  wanted  to  spoil  the  joy  of  the  evening 
by  asking  Emile  to  tell  of  his  experiences  in  the 


246  LARKSPUR 

German  prison.  It  was  enough  that  he  was  there 
with  Renee  once  more — in  America!  Everyone's 
eyes  were  very  bright  and  every  now  and  then  every- 
one was  very  still,  as  though  the  happiness  was  too 
great  to  be  spoken  in  mere  words ! 

Then  Mr.  Everett  came  in  and  the  surprise  was  a 
surprise  all  over  again,  and  Pat,  because  it  had  been 
her  surprise,  was  allowed  to  tell  him  all  about  it. 
He  shook  hands  very  warmly  with  Capt.  Allan  and 
Emile,  and  laid  his  arm  tenderly  over  the  boy's 
shoulder  as  though  to  express  things  he  could  not 
say! 

They  laughed  at  Capt.  Allan  because  they  caught 
him  so  often  staring  at  Renee! 

"What  have  you  done  to  her?  It's  hard  to 
believe  she's  the  same  little  girl  I  picked  up  at  St. 
Cloud!" 

"It's  Penelope's  work,"  answered  Mr.  Everett; 
"  she's  been  doing  some  experimenting!  " 

Renee,  indeed,  was  a  different  child.  She  had 
grown  taller,  sturdier,  her  face  had  lost  its  delicacy 
of  line  and  color ;  now  she  had,  too,  in  her  step  and 
look  the  spirit  and  vigor  that  only  healthy,  happy 
living  can  give. 

Suddenly  Aunt  Pen  exclaimed :  "  Goodness  me, 
Renee,  V7.c  ve  forgotten  to  tell  about — >. — " 


SURPRISES  247 

"  The  Lost  Baby! "  cried  Pat. 

So  there  were  new  surprises  all  around!  It 
seemed  more  like  a  fairy  story  than  ever — to  find, 
in  a  few  hours,  a  grandmother  and  a  brother !  Emile 
was  deeply  interested ;  he  listened  gravely.  He  knew 
perhaps  more  of  his  mother's  sacrifices  and  hardships 
than  Renee  had  known;  for  a  moment,  deep  in  his 
heart,  he  found  it  hard  to  feel  kindly  toward  the 
proud  woman  who  had  made  his  mother  unhappy. 
Then  as  Aunt  Pen  described  her  lonely  life  in  the 
old  house,  the  dreary  days  shut  in  with  her  grief  and 
her  remorse,  just  as  Renee  had,  he  felt  a  wave  of 
tenderness. 

"  She  is  going  to  begin  right  away  making  the 
old  house  bright  and  pretty  and  nice  to  live  in! 
And  think  how  happy  she'll  be  to  know  Emile  has 
come  back!  "  cried  Renee. 

"  Well,  it  looks  as  though  7  was  the  one  who  had 
lost  out  all  around,"  broke  in  Capt.  Allan,  although 
he  did  not  look  one  bit  unhappy  as  he  said  it.  In  fact, 
his  eyes  were  fastened  on  Aunt  Pen's  face  with  a  sort 
of  eager  questioning  in  them  that  kept  the  blushes 
coming  and  going  on  her  cheeks.  "  I  thought  I  had 
gotten  together  a  nice  little  family !  However,  I  shall 
go  on  with  my  plan  of  fixing  up  that  old  place  in  the 
mountains  and  maybe,  sometime,  I  can  induce  my 


248  LARKSPUR 

ward  and  her  brother  and  her  grandmother  to  make 
a  poor,  lonely  ex-guardian  a  visit ! " 

"  And  me ! "  put  in  Pat,  eagerly,  for  she  was 
certain  he  was  in  earnest. 

"And  me !  "  laughed  Aunt  Pen  with  a  look  that 
seemed  to  flash  back  an  answer  to  Capt.  Allan. 

"  I  think  you  girlies  had  better  go  to  bed ! " 
Mr.  Everett  had  noticed  that  Renee' s  eyes  were 
looking  very  tired.  She  had  had  a  most  exciting 
day.  And  on  the  morrow  she  must  go  again  to  the 
grandmother's  with  Emile. 

Pat  consented  to  go  to  bed  only  when  Capt.  Allan 
and  Emile  promised  to  spend  the  night  with  them ! 

She  and  Renee  whispered  together  for  a  long 
time.  Pat  must  hear  just  how  Renee  felt  the  moment 
she  knew  the  cross  old  lady  was  her  very  own  grand- 
mother ! 

"  I  don't  believe  she'll  be  cross  when  she's  happy," 
confided  Renee.  "  She  laughed  and  it  sounded  real 
jolly !  And  even  Elsbeth  looked  different  after  that." 

And  wasn't  it  wonderful  to  have  a  brother  come 
back? 

"  I  don't  mind  his  losing  his  arm,"  Renee  whis- 
pered, "  for  I  love  him  so  much  I  want  to  do  things 
for  him  and  now  he'll  have  to  let  me !  " 


SURPRISES  249 

Long  after  Renee  had  fallen  asleep  Pat  lay  wide 
awake.  There  was  so  much  to  think  about  she  was 
sure  she  could  not  ever  shut  her  eyes  again.  And 
she  could  hear  the  steady  murmur  of  voices  down- 
stairs— she  wished  she  knew  what  they  were  talking 
about !  Then  a  queer  little  disturbing  thought  com- 
menced to  eat  at  her  heart  Renee,  alone  in  the 
world,  had  been  very  close  to  her.  She  had  seemed 
to  feel  that,  because  she  had  found  Renee,  Renee 
belonged  to  her — was  something  even  closer  than  a 
friend  or  a  sister!  And  now  Renee  had  suddenly 
acquired  a  family  and  a  home !  As  the  tiny  thought 
grew  bigger  and  bigger  and  into  a  real  Fear  she  sat 
up  very  straight  and  leaning  across  to  Renee' s  bed, 
shook  her  violently. 

"  Ren !  Ren ! "  and  her  voice  rang  tragically. 
"  Promise  me,  on  your  scout's  honor,  that  you'll 
always  love  me  more'n  —  everybody  —  except 
Emile!" 

Renee  thought  she  was  dreaming  but  she  promised 
sleepily. 

"Of  course — I'll  love  you — more'n  everybody — 
'cept  Emile — on  my  scout's  honor!  "  and  just  as,  on 
that  other  night,  months  before,  when  Aunt  Pen  had 
tip-toed  into  their  room  to  see  that  the  little  stranger 
was  comfortable,  they  fell  asleep,  clasping  hands. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE  BEST  OF  ALL 

To  Pat  it  seemed  as  though  everything  exciting 
was  happening  at  once!  For  the  next  morning's 
mail  brought  a  letter  from  Mother  saying  that  she 
and  Celia  would  start  north  in  a  day  or  two. 

Pat  and  Renee  had  wakened  very  early.  The 
first  thought  in  each  mind  was  to  know  if  it  was  all 
true — that  Emile  had  come  back — or  was  it  a  dream? 

Outside  of  their  window  a  friendly  robin  was 
trilling  a  gay  song  as  though  the  joy  of  the  spring- 
time was  bursting  his  proud  little  throat.  Through 
the  window  the  sun  shone  with  added  brightness  and 
warmth  and  delicious  earthy  smells  greeted  the  girls. 

"  Oh,  isn't  it  just  grand  to  be  alive?  Let's  dress 
fast  and  be  the  first  ones  down !  "  And  Pat,  because 
the  sun  and  the  birds  and  the  spring  freshness  made 
her  very  happy,  also  burst  into  a  gay  snatch  of  song. 

Aunt  Pen  and  Capt.  Allan  were  late  for  breakfast. 
When  the  others  had  almost  finished  they  came  in 
from  a  brisk  walk  through  the  park,  with  red  cheeks 

and  amazing  appetites. 
250 


THE  BEST  OF  ALL  251 

Aunt  Pen,  dropping  into  the  chair  next  to  Pat, 
slipped  a  roll  of  paper  into  her  hand  and  whispered : 

"  There's  something  that  belongs  to  you,  Patsy ! 
I'm  ashamed  that  I  didn't  return  it  before.  But  now 
you  can  write  the  last  verse!  " 

Pat,  immensely  curious,  peeped  at  the  paper.  It 
was  the  lost  ballad !  And  what  did  Aunt  Pen  mean 
about  the  last  verse?  Both  Aunt  Pen  and  Capt. 
Allan  were  looking  at  her  with  eyes  full  of  laughter. 

Pat  felt  her  color  creeping  to  her  eyebrows  and 
crushed  the  innocent  verses  in  her  hand.  But  Aunt 
Pen  checked  her  rising  indignation. 

"  Patsy,  dear,  I  found  '  The  Secret  Sorrow '  on 
the  floor  of  the  library  one  night  after  we  had  had  a 
pow-wow.  I  recognized  the  heroine — by  a  guilty 
conscience,  I  guess — my  hair  is  not  exactly  '  of  raven 
hue  *  or  my  eyes  '  pellucid  blue ' !  But  I  loved  it,  my 
dear,  and  I  tucked  it  away,  for  I  couldn't  bear  to 
have  you  write  the  sad  ending  that  was  coming! 
What  if  you  had  made  her  thrust  a  steel  dagger  into 
her  breast !  Or  have  had  her  leap  from  one  of  those 
mighty  crags  over  which  the  knight,  her  brother 
hunted!" 

Capt.  Allan  had  been  furiously  scribbling  some 
words  on  the  back  of  an  envelope.  Now  he  looked 
up,  very  seriously. 


252  LARKSPUR 

"  Will  you  forgive  Aunt  Pen  if  I  write  the  last 
verse  for  you?  "  he  asked,  and  then,  not  waiting  for 
an  answer,  read  with  dramatic  emphasis : 
"  Back  came  the  lover,  wise  and  bold, 
To  snatch  his  lady,  grown  cross  and  old, 
To  a  mountain  cave  he'll  carry  his  prey, 
And  there  they'll  be  happy  for  ever  and  aye !  " 

Everyone  laughed  at  Pat's  disgust. 

"/  think  that's  very  silly  and  Aunt  Pen  isn't 

cross  and  old  a  bit  and "  she  stopped  suddenly. 

"  Do  you  mean  that's  true?  "  she  demanded. 

It  was  Aunt  Pen  now  who  grew  very  red.  But 
she  nodded  and  turned  toward  her  brother. 

""  We  have  a  surprise !  A  long  time  ago  Will 
and  I  were  engaged — my  last  year  in  college !  Then 
we  let  foolish  things  come  between  us  and  we  have 
lost  a  good  many  years  of  happiness,  but " 

"  Now  we're  going  to  make  up  for  it ! "  put  in 
Capt.  Allan.  "  And  I  won't  be  lonely  in  that  place 
in  the  mountains,  after  all ! " 

"  Oh,  Aunt  Pen,  I'm  so  glad !  "  and  Pat  threw 
two  strong  young  arms  around  Penelope's  neck. 
Everyone  talked  at  once.  Renee,  looking  at  Emile 
and  then  at  the  other  happy  faces  about  her,  thought 
that  all  the  joy  in  the  world  must  have  crowded  there 
within  the  four  walls  of  the  sunny  dining-room ! 


THE  BEST  OF  ALL  253 

"  It'll  be  just  as  though  we  were  really  related," 
she  put  in,  shyly.  "  For  I'll  always  feel  that  Capt. 
Allan  is  my  guardian  and  Emile  belongs  to  me  and 
Pat  belongs  to  Aunt  Pen !  " 

"  Don't  leave  me  out,  Mouse !  " 

"  Oh,  no ! "  and  Renee's  contrition  was  tragic. 
"  For  you  are  the  very  best  man  in  the  world  and 
belong  to  all  of  us !  " 

Pat,  who  had  been  performing  a  sort  of  cere- 
monial dance  among  them  all,  stopped  in  dismay. 

"  Oh,  Aunt  Pen,  what  about  school?  " 
"  Then  you  will  be  sorry  to  lose  your  teacher, 
Patsy?    But  it  is  almost  the  first  of  May  and  with  a 
little  home  study  you  girls  can  get  along.    Anyway, 
,  mother  will  be  here  to  decide  what  is  best" 

Pat's  face  was  serious. 

"  I  am  glad  mother's  coming  home !  And  Celia, 
too !  But  I  have  loved  our  school,  Aunt  Pen !  You've 
made  me  just  like  to  study  all  sorts  of  things !  When 
mother  comes  Pm  going  to  tease  her  to  let  us  go 
next  fall  to  the  Lincoln  school  with  Peggy  and 
Sheila  and  the  other  girls — and  then  go  to  college." 

Aunt  Pen  nodded  toward  Pat's  father.  Pat,  of 
course,  didn't  know  that  she  was  trying  to  say: 
"  There — that's  a  real  girl  talking — who  wants  to  be 
of  some  service,  some  day,  in  this  world !  " 


254  LARKSPUR 

Then  Pat  insisted  that  Capt.  Allan  tell  them  more 
about  the  old  house  in  the  Adirondacks. 

"  Somehow,  I  can't  imagine  him  keeping  you  up 
there  very  long,  Penelope,"  laughed  her  brother. 
"  He  doesn't  know  you  as  well  as  I  do !  " 

Capt.  Allan  described  to  them  the  old  rambling 
house  built  half  way  up  the  wooded  slope  of  Cobble 
Mountain.  From  its  many  windows,  he  remembered, 
a  wonderful  view  could  be  had  of  a  sweep  of  valley, 
river  and  surrounding  slopes. 

"  Will  has  promised  me  that  I  may  go  on  with 
all  my  experiments  and  fads  just  the  same!  There'll 
be  lots  of  room  there! "  she  retorted  to  her  brother. 
"  And  some  day  I  shall  turn  Cobble  House  into  a 
school  for  girls." 

"  Like  our  school,  Aunt  Pen?  " 

"  Yes,  and  I  hope  that  all  my  girls  there  will 
work  as  faithfully  as  you  have,  Pat !  " 

"  And  I'll  be  the  man-of -all-work  around  the 
place  and  chief  executioner,  when  you  need  one ! " 
declared  Capt.  Allan,  mischievously. 

Mr.  Everett  shook  hands  gravely  with  his  sister. 

"  All  I  say  is  success  to  you — my  dear,  what- 
ever you  try  to  do !  " 

There  seemed  to  be  so  much  to  talk  about  that  no 


THE  BEST  OF  ALL  255 

one  wanted  to  break  up  the  little  circle.  However, 
the  hands  of  the  old  clock  over  the  fireplace  were 
climbing  rapidly  toward  noon  and  Renee  was  eager 
to  take  Emile  to  the  grandmother's.  Pat  begged  to 
go,  too.  As  they  started  away,  Renee  holding  tightly 
to  Emile's  hand,  Aunt  Pen,  watching  the  boy,  wiped 
a  suspicion  of  a  tear  from  her  eye. 

Capt.  Allan  saw  it  and  answered  the  thought  that 
was  in  her  mind. 

"  He's  a  brave  boy  and  has  a  strong  will — he'll 
learn  to  do  his  work  with  his  one  arm !  But  before 
anything  else  he  must  stay  in  the  open  until  he  has 
built  up  his  strength  and  wiped  from  his  mind 
forever  the  horror  of  all  he  has  gone  through!  " 

The  old  stone  house  did  not  look  at  all  ugly  and 
gloomy  in  the  bright  morning  sunshine!  And  for 
Renee  and  Emile  it  took  on  a  new  interest — it  was 
to  be  their  home!  There  were  signs  of  life,  too, 
about  the  place.  The  windows  had  been  opened 
and  from  the  back  of  the  house  came  sounds  of 
vigorous  beating.  As  they  walked  slowly  up  the 
brick  path  Renee  suddenly  darted  in  among  the  wild 
honeysuckle  growing  close  on  either  side  of  the  door. 

"Emile— see!    A  daffodil!" 

There  it  was — lifting  its  bright  head  through 
the  tangle  of  undergrowth  as  though  it  knew  that 


256  LARKSPUR 

sunshine  and  happiness  had  come  to  the  neglected 
home !  And  there  were  more,  too,  and  Renee,  hunt- 
ing eagerly,  found  hundreds  of  tiny  blades  of  bright 
green  grass  and  beyond  a  rose  vine  climbing  toward 
the  old  stone  wall. 

"  Oh,  it  is  going  to  be  nice !  "  she  cried  to  Emile. 
"  We  can  have  a  garden  like  Susette's." 

Emile,  with  the  soul  of  an  artist,  was  already 
mentally  transforming  the  entire  house  and  garden. 
It  would  be  very  pleasant  to  do  nothing  for  awhile 
but  work  out  among  the  growing  things  with  Renee ! 

Mrs.  Forrester,  eager  to  see  again  her  "  little 
flower,"  had  roused  Elsbeth  very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing that  she  might  be  in  readiness.  She  had  insisted 
upon  putting  on  her  old  black  silk  dress;  she  had 
folded  a  soft  net  fichu  around  her  neck  and  had 
fastened  it  with  a  lavender  ribbon. 

"  Now  don't  stand  and  stare  at  me  like  that, 
silly,"  she  had  rebuked  the  old  servant.  "  Can't  you 
understand  that  I'm  not  sick  any  more?  Watch 
me !  "  and  holding  her  head  very  high  she  walked 
slowly  across  the  room  out  into  the  hall. 

So  it  was  in  the  living  room  they  found  her. 
God  had  given  back  to  her  so  much  that  she  was  not 
even  startled  when  Renee  very  simply  told  of 
Emile's  coming.  She  could  not  speak  a  word  as  she 


THE  BEST  OF  ALL  257 

reached  up  her  arms  to  embrace  the  boy,  for  he 
looked  so  much  like  his  mother  that  it  brought  a 
choking  sob  to  her  throat. 

And  if  in  Emile's  heart  there  had  lingered  any 
hardness  toward  the  grandmother  it  disappeared 
when  he  saw  her !  She  looked  so  little  and  fragile, 
sitting  in  the  big  walnut  chair,  that  it  roused  all  the 
chivalry  in  the  boy's  soul.  He  kissed  her  tenderly 
on  each  wrinkled  cheek. 

Then  Pat  was  introduced ;  Renee  had  to  tell,  too, 
of  finding  the  daffodils.  Elsbeth,  her  face  twisted 
into  a  comical  expression  of  bewilderment,  listened 
in  the  doorway,  and  from  all  parts  of  the  house  there 
was  a  rumble  of  furniture  and  the  tread  of  feet. 

"In  a  very  little  time  this  place  will  all  be  changed," 
Mrs.  Forrester  said,  patting  Renee's  hand.  "  We  will 
have  flowers  growing  all  around  us — and  we  will  be 
very  happy,  we  three !  " 

It  was  a  very  busy  day !  Emile  must  be  admitted 
to  the  secrets  of  the  Eyrie ;  he  was  shown  the  account 
book  of  LaDue  and  Everett  and  some  of  Renee's 
work.  Then  he  had  to  hear  the  story  of  Paddy  and 
the  lost  formulas,  of  Sheila  and  Peggy  and  Garrett 
and  Hill-top,  of  Troop  Six  and  the  scout  work,  and 
of  Keineth  and  the  coming  party!  Surely  never  in 
the  world  did  a  tongue  wag  faster  that  Pat's  nor 


258  LARKSPUR 

did  eyes  shine  more  brightly  than  Renee's  as  Emile 
was  made  acquainted  with  all  that  had  brought  so 
much  happiness  into  her  life  during  the  past  winter. 

Downstairs  Aunt  Pen,  Capt.  Allan  and  Daddy 
were  talking,  too.  Pat  with  her  remarkable  instinct 
for  sensing  "  when  plans  were  in  the  making " 
exclaimed,  as  she  entered  the  room: 

"  Daddy  Everett,  you  look  just  as  though  you  had 
a  secret ! " 

Her  Daddy  assumed  a  very  important  air. 

"  I  have !  I  have  a  surprise !  You've  all  had  one 
but  me!  And  I  am  sure  you  will  think  that  mine 
is  best  of  all !  And  I  thought  of  it  all  myself !  " 

"  Oh,  what  is  it?  If  much  more  happens  Pll  be 
walking  on  my  head!  What  can  it  be !  "  Pat  looked 
from  one  to  another.  "  Aunt  Pen,  you're  giggling 
so  silly  I  believe  it's  something  about  your  wedding ! 
It  is!  It  is!  May  Ren  and  I  be  bridesmaids,  Aunt 
Pen,  and  wear  gauzy  dresses  and  big  hats  and  carry 
bouquets  ? " 

"  You're  warm,  Pat !  "  teased  her  father. 

"  Please,  Aunt  Pen !  "  implored  Pat  in  an  agony 
of  curiosity. 

"  Mother  has  suggested  in  a  note  to  me  that  your 
Aunt  Pen  and  I  bring  you  and  Renee  to  Atlantic  City 
and  meet  them  there " 


THE  BEST  OF  ALL  259 

"  But  I'm  determined  to  make  Aunt  Pen  marry 
me  right  away,  you  see;  I  can't  even  wait  for  gauzy 
hats  and  big  dresses — we've  wasted  so  much  happi- 
ness, already !  "  cut  in  Capt.  Allan. 

"  So  /  said  let's  all  go  and  meet  Mother,  and  we 
can  have  the  wedding  down  there  where  the  breaking 
waves  dash  high " 

"  Oh,  Daddy,  Daddy,  that's  the  bestest,  grandest 
surprise  of  all !  A  wedding  in  Atlantic  City !  Only 
the  waves  can't  dash  very  high — 'cause  there's  no 
stern  and  rock-bound  coast — only  sand!  But  we'll 
trim  the  room  with  flowers " 

"  And  you  and  Renee  shall  be  my  bridesmaids,  no 
matter  what  dresses  you  wear!  " 

"  And  Emile  shall  be  my  best  man !  " 

"  And,  oh,  won't  mother  and  Celia  be  surprised  ? 
You  see  7  had  guessed  all  about  Capt.  Allan  because 
Aunt  Pen  acted  so  funny  when  we  spoke  of  him, 
but  Mother  doesn't  know  a  single  thing !  Was  there 
ever  such  a  nice,  jolly  wedding  planned  before?  " 

Renee's  face  was  a  little  clouded.  It  would  be 
wonderful  to  go  to  the  sea,  but  ought  she  and  Emile 
to  leave  the  little  grandmother  ? 

"  Bless  you,  she  shall  come,  too !  Ocean  air  will 
finish  up  the  good  work  that  her  happiness  has 


260  LARKSPUR 

started!  I  can't  have  my  plan  spoiled — not  even  if 
we  have  to  charter  a  whole  train !  " 

Pat  wanted  to  begin  packing  immediately. 

"  When  will  we  go,  Daddy?  "  she  cried. 

"  Day  after  to-morrow,"  he  answered  with  the 
promptness  of  decision  that  was  characteristic. 

"  I'm  glad  that  you  give  me  that  much  time ! 
I'll  have  to  get  '  something  old  and  something  new, 
something  borrowed  and  something  blue,'  "  laughed 
the  bride-to-be. 

"  And  we  can  go  to  Keineth's  party  and  tell  them 
all  about  it!  "  Pat  was  silent  for  a  moment.  Then 
going  to  her  Daddy  she  laid  her  cheek  coaxingly 
against  his  arm. 

"  Daddy,  as  long  as  there  are  so  many  going — 
and  weddings  are  jollier  when  there  are  a  lot  of 
people — can't  we  take  Sheila,  too  ?  She's  never  been 
any  further  from  the  city  than  Hill-top  and  she's 
always  so  contented  and  happy  and's  never  teasing 
for  things  the  way  I  am !  Just  think  how  she'd  look 
when  she  saw  the  ocean !  I  have  so  much  more  fun 
than  she  does,  Daddy,  I'd  just  as  soon  stay  home 
if  she  could  go  in  my  place !  " 

And  Pat,  thinking  how  Sheila's  face  would  look 
when  she  first  beheld  the  great  sweep  of  deep,  blue 
sea,  was  very  much  in  earnest. 


THE  BEST  OF  ALL  261 

Mr.  Everett  patted  the  pleading  face.  He  did 
not  smile  for  he  had  been  deeply  touched  by  Pat's 
generosity. 

"  Yes,  daughter,  Sheila  shall  go,  too." 

"  Oh,  Daddy,  you  are  the  best  daddy  in  the 
world!  Let's  run  straight  over  and  tell  her,  Ren! 
Think  how  happy  she'll  be !  " 

From  the  library  window  Aunt  Pen  and  Mr. 
Everett  watched  the  two  girls,  arms  interlocked, 
swing  down  the  walk  that  led  from  the  Everett  house 
to  the  street.  There  was  pride  in  Aunt  Pen's  face 
as  she  watched.  Her  girls  had  learned  generosity 
and  unselfishness  as  well  as  Latin  and  Algebra! 
And  they  had  found,  too,  the  joy  of  fellowship! 
They  were  hurrying  now  to  share  their  happiness ! 

Mr.  Everett  was  thinking  the  same  thoughts  as 
his  sister,  but  looking  slyly  at  her  from  the  corner 
of  his  eye,  he  repeated  teasingly : 

"  Mary,  Mary,  quite  contrary,  how  does  your 

garden  grow  ? 
Silver  bells  and  cockle  shells " 

Aunt  Pen  laughingly  interrupted :  "  And  larkspur 
all  in  a  row!  But  won't  this  world's  garden  be 
richer  and  more  beautiful  for  healthy,  happy  girls  like 
ours,  Daddy  Everett?  " 


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